Why Are Diamonds Strong?

Published on 10/07/09

The word Diamond comes from the ancient Greek adámas, meaning unalterable or proper. A diamond is an allotrope of carbon (which means the carbon atoms are arranged in a tetrahedral lattice giving it a 3d like structure making it strong in all directions with no weak links) which makes the diamond the hardest mineral on planet earth, diamonds are poor electrical conductors but excellent thermal conductors.
Graphite on the hand (which is also made from an allotrope of carbon) has its atoms arranged in sheets which are stacked one on top of the other (one of these sheets is called a graphine). This makes graphite pretty weak as the little sheets are easily knocked apart. Graphite unlike diamonds are excellent electrical conductors.

Around 80% of all diamonds mined (around 20,000 kg annually) are used for industrial purposes such as drilling, cutting polishing and grinding. The diamonds are usually embedded into drill tips or ground into a powder for use in grinding and polishing. Even most diamonds that are gem-quality for use in diamond rings, earrings & necklaces can find an industrial use.

Diamonds can be polished to an extremely well when they are being used as gem stones in diamond rings for example as the only thing that can scratch a diamond is another diamond!