Done By: Meghan Sinclair-Black 10R
Introduction:
Lonsdaleite (named in
honour of Kathleen
Lonsdale), in reference to
the crystal structure, is an
allotrope of carbon with a
hexagonal lattice. In
nature, it is formed when
meteorites with/
containing graphite hit the
Earth.
Future
Applications
-There are an infinite
amount of future
possibilities of this
material as it may be
one of the hardest
natural substances.
Occurrence:
Applications:
•Lonsdaleite is a form
of diamond in
technical terms and
therefore has similar
uses.
• Lonsdaleite can be
used for jewellery,
tools, cutting
machines etc.
Jessica Griggs, Diamond no longer nature's hardest
material, http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16610diamond-no-longer-natures-hardestmaterial.html#.VAQrx8Umrmc, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
© 1997-2014 by David Barthelmy, Lonsdaleite
Mineral Data,
http://webmineral.com/data/Lonsdaleite.shtml#.VAQ
8ScUmrme, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2014.,
Joylon Ralph,Lonsdaleite, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
Synthesis:
Lonsdaleite is a very rare
substance that can be found
in meteorites and
kimberlite. It has been
found in the following
locations: Canyon Diablo
meteorite, Meteor Crater
and vicinity, Winslow,
Coconino Co., Arizona, USA
.It could also possibly be
found in diamond bearing
places.
The mineral lonsdaleite is
made from carbon atoms
,like diamonds, but they are
arranged in a different
shape. Lonsdaleite is
sometimes formed when
meteorites containing
graphite hit Earth. It is
made up of carbon atoms in
a crystal hexagonal
structure. The Molecular
Weight is 12.01 gm
•Other names for the
substance include :hexagonal
diamond, PDF 19-268 and
ICSD 27422
•It could possibly be one of
the hardest substances
known to man, even stronger
than diamond.
•It was found in 1967where it
was first observed in the
Canyon Diablo meteorite
Chemical Properties:
Mechanical
Properties:
Strength: Tests showed
that Lonsdaleite could
withstand 58 per cent
more stress than
diamond. Results
suggest that lonsdaleite
is a stiffer naturally
occurring substance than
diamond.
Physical
Properties:
Colour: Brownish
black, Light brownish
yellow.
Average density: 3.41.
It can be Translucent
to Opaque.
The Molecular Weight
is 12.01 gm
james.dacey, Feb 14, 2009 ,Harder than diamond?,
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2009/
feb/14/harder-than-diamond , Accessed on: 201409-01
What Is Lonsdaleite? Is There Anything Harder than a
Diamond?, Richard Fernandez, http://richardfernandez.hubpages.com/hub/Whats-Harder-Than-ADiamond, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
Anonyzious 30 August, 2011 , Top 10 Hardest
Materials, http://realitypod.com/2011/08/top-10hardest-materials/3/, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
The elements needed to
form Lonsdaleite is C.
 The chemical formula for
Lonsdaleite is : C
The Mohs hardness of a
diamond is 10, lonsdaleite is
only 7-8, due to impurities
inherited with naturally
occurring substances,
however, pure lonsdaleite
would have a Mohs hardness
of 15.8.
© My Jewelry Box. All rights reserved. 4 Substances
Harder
thanDiamonds,http://www.myjewelrybox.com/arti
cles/4_substances_harder_than_diamonds/,
Accessed on: 2014-09-01
K S Someswara , Oct 16, 2012, Diamonds are forever? So is lonsdaleite
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/285548/diamonds-forever-solonsdaleite.html, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
L,i Qingkun, Lonsdaleite – A material stronger and stiffer than
diamond,http://www.researchgate.net/publication/251669638_Lonsdaleite__A_
material_stronger_and_stiffer_than_diamond, Accessed on: 2014-09-01
Alexander G. Kvashnin and Pavel B. Sorokin, Lonsdaleite Films with
NanometerThickness,http://www.misis.ru/Portals/0/Lab_NN/Lonsdaleite_Fil
ms_with_Nanometer_Thickness.pdf Accessed on: 2014-09-01