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How to Make a Synthetic Diamond

by mrcrumley on March 30, 2009

Table of Contents

How to Make a Synthetic Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: How to Make a Synthetic Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Prepare the Olive Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Transfer Oil to the Graphite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 4: Setup (i.e. clean) the Microwave Oven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 5: Remove the Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 6: Set the Graphite on the "Crucible" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 7: Place "Crucible" in Microwave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 8: Start the Microwave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 9: Admire the Finished Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 10: Make it into a Keepsake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 Author:mrcrumley
(Is there a word that means more than "ultimate"? Oh well, I'l just make one up... "omnilent")

Omnilently creative, MrCrumley fights a daily battle to save the world in his capacity as a multimedia superhero. In his secret identity, he's acknowledged as
"Best. Dad. Ever." in his household, and spends most of his time working on exciting new projects that will enrich his world.

Intro: How to Make a Synthetic Diamond

My 10-year Wedding Anniversary is coming up so I thought I'd make my wife something special. A few months back I'd seen a show on TV where they demonstrated
how companies were now making "cultured" diamonds in the lab. There are a few different methods, but the simplest is something called "chemical vapor distillation".
The process is pretty straightforward. Basically, microwaves are used to create a slurry of graphite plasma which, when rapidly cooled form a crystal structure.

I checked around on the internet and found several sites where others have been doing the same thing. The best part was that everything I'd need were pretty common
household items. So, I rounded up the necessary supplies and began imagining how great life would be once I'd cornered the international diamond market.

Step 1: Materials
Here's the surprisingly short list of materials I used:

A standard home microwave oven

2 coffee mugs
3 pieces of 3mm graphite pencil lead
A few drops of extra virgin olive oil
A 5" piece of 100% cotton thread

The hardest item to find was the 100% cotton thread. It's amazing how scarce that stuff is. After searching through all of our sewing notions, I finally found some black
thread that I think my mom bought back in the 70's.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 Image Notes
1. Hard-to-find thread. Basically, if it's shinny, it's probably NOT 100% cotton.

Step 2: Prepare the Olive Oil

As I mentioned above, the theory behind this project is using microwaves to heat the graphite into a plasma. In general, pencil graphite is not reactive enough to
microwaves. So, a thin oil is used to concentrate the heat in a specific area of the graphite. Also, as the oil heats up and begins to burn, it chemically separates the binder
in the pencil lead from the graphite.

Place a few drops of olive oil onto a plate and lay the thread in the oil. The thread will absorb some of the oil.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Step 3: Transfer Oil to the Graphite
Lift the oily thread and tie a knot in it.

Don't pull the knot all-the-way closed!

Carefully slip a piece of graphite through the knot loop and lay both the thread and graphite on a plate. I used two halves of a toothpick to keep the graphite suspended
above the plate. This helps keep the oil confined to a single spot on the graphite.

Pull both ends of the thread until the knot has closed around the graphite.

Wait about 30 minutes for the oil to soak into the graphite.

Step 4: Setup (i.e. clean) the Microwave Oven

I didn't really tell my wife what I was up to. (It is, after all, a surprise.) But when she saw that it involved our microwave, her response was, "please don't burn the house
down."

I assured her it wouldn't, and that I'd need to clean the microwave before my "experiment." This ended her objections.

So, while the oil was soaking into the graphite, I cleaned the microwave. The sites I'd read from others folks doing this insisted that a clean microwave would yield better
results. Maybe, maybe not, but it sure looks better.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Step 5: Remove the Thread
Clip off part of the thread as close to graphite as possible. Then, gently tug on the other end of the thread and pull the knot undone.

Try not to slide the thread up-and-down the graphite. Remember, it's important to keep the oil concentrated in one spot.

Step 6: Set the Graphite on the "Crucible"

Here's the ingenious part of the project. Turn one of the coffee mugs upside-down. (I used a slightly larger one as the base.)

Set 2 more pieces of graphite (non-oiled) on the upturned mug, parallel to each other.

Lay the oiled graphite across the other 2 pieces.

Place the other coffee mug over all of it.

Presto! It's a makeshift crucible!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Step 7: Place "Crucible" in Microwave
Place the stacked mugs into the microwave. In my setup, the large bottom mug required that I remove the glass tray.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Step 8: Start the Microwave
Set the microwave for its maximum cook time at the maximum power setting. In my case, that was 99 minutes and 99 seconds - which turned out to be long enough.

Be advised: the microwave will spark a bit where the oil has soaked into the graphite. This is normal as the oil is bonding with the binder in the pencil lead. It should stop
sparking after a few minutes.

After the microwave is done, let the mugs cool completely before removing them. Remember, if done correctly, you've generated 1,200+ degrees inside the crucible. Be
safe.

Image Notes
1. One of the commenters asked about the wattage, so I thought I'd post my
microwave's info. I find it interesting that it uses 1480W but only outputs 1000W.
Where does the missing 480W go?

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Step 9: Admire the Finished Product
After the mugs have completely cooled, remove them from the microwave.

The oiled graphite will be broken. The others should largely be intact. You'll also find a small lump, slightly larger than a grain of sand where the oiled section was placed.

Congratulations! This is the product of your labors, a genuine diamond.

I took the raw diamond to a jeweler I know and had her test it. She confirmed that underneath the scale material, there's a tiny bit of diamond material. She said that its
quality was pretty poor, but it did fluoresce like a "real" diamond.

Now, admittedly, this homemade synthetic diamond is too small and too filled with inclusions to make into jewelry. But, it technically qualifies as a diamond... and I made
it, so that's pretty cool.

Step 10: Make it into a Keepsake

Obviously, this falls a bit short of what we think of when we hear "diamond". But, after posting the original article, I came up with a pretty cool way to preserve my
achievement.

I filled a small washer with clear epoxy and dropped my diamond into it. After it hardened, I strung it on a chain to make a diamond necklace.

My wife was impressed. After all, how many women can wear a diamond that their husband actually MADE?

Image Notes
1. This is probably the piece with the diamond material.
2. ... but this could be it...
3. ... or this could be it.
4. ... I'm pretty sure this isn't it...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 Image Notes
1. The jeweler gave me back all the graphite, scale, slag, etc. along with the
diamond material. I THINK this is the piece with the diamond.

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 312 comments

gothicbob says: Apr 3, 2009. 11:50 AM REPLY

99 mins 99 seconds of microwaving... your electricity bill is going to be expensive if this becomes a hobby.

Asmodeous says: Mar 6, 2011. 3:21 PM REPLY

Not as expensive as a real diamond:)

Medalya says: Sep 21, 2009. 5:19 AM REPLY

i know this was a while ago but i have to say it cause no one else did. GULLIBLE!! lol microwaves have a built in safety switch, if you pulled the microwave
apart (don't do it if you ever want to have kids) it would be possible to make a diamond, but you still need pressure. :)

mrcrumley says: Sep 21, 2009. 10:16 AM REPLY

Yes. From what I've read (and from a lot of folks comments earlier on) PRESSURE is the big missing ingredient. Maybe if installing a vice inside the
microwave would do it?

barkbark says: Jan 29, 2011. 3:41 AM REPLY

Pressure may not need muscle from 'comprehendable' sources..just a little freezing of water in a glass bottle sealed shut will pop it..who knows if
there is another unknown discovery about pressure going on withing the combination of componants in the microwave alone?..Maybe being enclosed
isn't exclusive..they weather is an open-air pressure story..

I used a recipe 5 or 6 years ago using charcoal brickettes and oil in the microwave and it did produce a pile a sharp little brutal chystals..I never had
them checked though. But they were black and somehow I hoped they're be clear..
I did fry my old micro, but I never used it on food anyway..

Medalya says: Sep 21, 2009. 3:11 PM REPLY

wat's really funny is it is theoretically possible haha but you would need more than 5GPa At 1500 degrees C. or win the heart of a technician who
makes them CVD style, and get them to tell you. ;)

Cheathum14 says: Apr 3, 2010. 9:15 PM REPLY

I don't like being "that guy" but it seems there are plenty of others on this site so im going to say it anyway; thats not a diamond. Here are a few reasons why.
1. The pencil lead you used contains a large amount of clay, not just graphite.
2. Microwaves are not capable of generating the heat neccesary to recrystalize carbon.
3. Even if the microwave could reach the neccessary temperature, the pressure required to make a diamond is around 50,000 to 70,000 times that of earth's
atmosphere.
4. How is it that you claim to have made a diamond in your microwave if diamonds weren't even synthesized until 1953, six years after the first microwave
oven was made? If they had the technology in 1947, why not use it then?

Sorry for pooping your party, but it looks like im not the only one.

barkbark says: Jan 29, 2011. 3:13 AM REPLY

About the microwave..I'm thinking that a discovery of diamond-making need not come out the second the microwave is launched..people were pretty
freaked by them.. Microwaves for food uses anyway because they were scary..
Hitler refused to allow his troops to eat food cooked it them because they were proven to mutate protein, and mutant proteins become cancerous, still a
researched and proven fact, the old documents are still around for public review, online. Microwaves were around in studies years before they were
launched, but they recieved passage into the public through a manipulative buy-off, against the will and recommendation of the reviewing doctors of the
day on the panels.

So heads were not all about playing with microwaves in popular masses. A few were daring to launch experiments, but its main intention had some
sinister purposes even though it was promoted for cool ones. Diamonds on the other hand would've been a lighter area of creative experimentation,
dangerous as all science can be. I wish I'd known about the diamond thing earlier--it would've been fun to work with :D! Glad I no longer use a micro,
though..

Treknology says: Apr 28, 2010. 4:57 AM REPLY

Let me bomb your party.

1. A real diamond placed in a CO2 atmosphere will dissolve into "nothing"--no pressure or heat involved.

2. Fake industrial diamond is not manufactured under such high temperatures or pressures either.

3. An Australian high-school student developed a way of coating materials in diamond micro-dust, using COLD and low pressures--great for making
grinding wheels but hopeless for laser focusing devices.

Superheat and pressure is only theory.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 zoteman94 says: Oct 26, 2010. 1:33 PM REPLY
It isn't only theory, graphite is the most stable allotrope of carbon at ambient temperature and 1atm pressure. (Yes you can convert diamond into
graphite in an inert atmosphere at around 1000°C) Maybe there are some ways that don't need ultra high temperatures or pressures, but it is proven
that diamond is more stable than graphite at these conditions and thats why it transforms into it.

Cheathum14 says: May 9, 2010. 2:04 PM REPLY

@Teknology
You didn't quite bomb my party. I know that diamonds can be formed at much lower temperatures and pressure.(Microscopic diamonds can form on
the surface of the sun where the temp. is only 10,000 and where there is little pressure) I was just saying that for a diamond of that size (visible to the
naked eye) to be formed, it would take more than the pressure and heat a microwave can generate. Also, if i'm wrong, so be it, i'm only a sophomore
in high school anyway and i'm taking physics next year.

mrcrumley says: Apr 28, 2010. 5:59 AM REPLY

And let me party on your bombing: You're not the first person to point this out.

Treknology says: Apr 29, 2010. 5:46 AM REPLY

I was bombing Cheathum14, not you. But I do re-assert that extreme heat and pressure will not be the methods by which "gem" quality diamonds
are reproduced--and even then they won't be "gem" quality because they will lack the unique flaws of the natural product.

Of course, if subsequently worthless "pure" diamond can be grown then lenses and other optics will take a massive left turn in efficiency. And
yes, I confidently predict that such method will not only validly suck carbon out of the atmosphere, it will turn out rocks in such volume that the
South African economy will collapse.

mogg says: Jan 14, 2011. 7:57 PM REPLY

Synthetic diamonds are made at about 300deg C, but usually in a pressure vessel using microwave radiation and a "seeding" crystal. You
can make diamond as big or small as you want by growing them in a chemically neutral environment (nobel gas/ nitrogen) using CO2. Check
out wikipedia, has an article about them. The diamonds are purer than natural sourced diamonds, and are currently being applied to
electronics, especially light based circuits.
Go to a big jewelers and ask for yellow diamonds- they are tinted to distinguish them natural ones, but they can come in any colour depending
on the material you poison the crystals with. They have the same colour as urine.
I haven't tried it, so can't say if this will work, but I'm skeptical of the chemistry.Once I've destroyed my microwave (it's crap anyway), i'll let
you know. (^^)

mrcrumley says: Jan 18, 2011. 8:18 AM REPLY

I think I've mentioned this before, but I haven't read if it's been tried: perhaps a greater pressure could be achieved by incorporating a vice
in the process... and maybe a tiny (yet strong) person to crank it - just an idea.

mrcrumley says: Apr 29, 2010. 6:07 AM REPLY

Maybe... but they'll always have the World Cup.

mrcrumley says: Apr 4, 2010. 5:41 AM REPLY

Your response was more thoughtful than the usual, so allow me to retort:
If the "clay"in question is Clay Aiken, that only strengthens my case - his voice is like diamond.
Maybe you didn't notice the "doneness" button on my microwave... I think it goes to "11."
I assure you that the pressure I was under from my wife to NOT burn our house down exceeded 70,000 bars.
In 1953, President Truman announced we had developed the bomb. Later that month, Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" opened on Broadway. That's just too
much of a coincidence for me to believe diamond-microwave technology hadn't been discovered.

Also... you should read the other comments to see how this story ended .

Cheathum14 says: Apr 5, 2010. 9:31 AM REPLY

:) Well played. I thought there was something odd about this instructable. Also, pranking me isn't quite that difficult because im the most gullable guy
in my county.

aqwiz says: Apr 15, 2010. 7:00 AM REPLY

I hope you don't live in poland.

Cheathum14 says: May 9, 2010. 1:22 PM REPLY

haha, i live in texas and i'm gullable, not stupid :)

aqwiz says: May 9, 2010. 5:53 PM REPLY

Oh my bad I misread that, thought you said country.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 Mr. Potato Head says: Sep 24, 2010. 10:59 AM REPLY
Guess that makes you the stupid one!

dreulet says: Jan 17, 2011. 9:24 AM REPLY

The time to leave a comment a precious thing and this got a lot of comments. I can't believe I DID IT! Not leave a comment, make a Diamond or something
that looks like one. Thanks for the Information man I really appreciate it, now I'm Rich!!!!!!

mrcrumley says: Jan 18, 2011. 8:13 AM REPLY

Congratulations and, you're welcome. I hope this Instructable has enriched the lives of many.

zoteman94 says: Oct 26, 2010. 1:38 PM REPLY

It can't make diamons for some reasons:
If you heat the graphite at 5000°C it should react with air to make carbon dioxide, also that temps would melt the coffe cups and if you claim that you got a lot
of pressure, the cups would simply move and release what is in middle of them, or they would also broke.
The CVD isnt just ionizing carbon and letting it grow, because it should grow as graphite not diamond.
I don't want to ruin your article, but I don't want to see more people damaging their microwaves, wasting a lot of energy (and money)...

mrcrumley says: Oct 27, 2010. 6:08 AM REPLY

Believe me, you are not ruining this article. Pretty much everything you've stated has been pointed out in some form over the past year-and-a-half.
However, You might want to read this Instructable to see how a lot of these concerns were negated.

ARJOON says: Jan 19, 2010. 4:02 AM REPLY

still it has too much impurities

Lance Mt. says: Mar 30, 2010. 1:36 AM REPLY

Yeah, i think Inteligence is one.

Kryptonite says: Mar 30, 2010. 3:25 AM REPLY

If intelligence is an impurity, then this must be the purest thread ever.

XD

Lance Mt. says: Apr 7, 2010. 4:51 AM REPLY

I'd tie aeroplane wings together with this thread.

Kryptonite says: Apr 9, 2010. 2:49 AM REPLY

I'd use it as a bridge cable, but then again, it might be a bit thick for even that!

Lance Mt. says: Apr 15, 2010. 9:14 PM REPLY

I think it has 0% resistance its that pure.

Kryptonite says: Apr 16, 2010. 5:39 AM REPLY

We really ought to make some never ending technology with this.

ARJOON says: Apr 16, 2010. 8:41 AM REPLY

is this tread becoming a chat room???

Kryptonite says: Apr 18, 2010. 5:44 AM REPLY

Or is this chat room becoming a thread?

mrcrumley says: Apr 19, 2010. 5:42 AM REPLY

Well, unless the thread is 100% cotton, I don't like our chances.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/
 Lance Mt. says: Apr 20, 2010. 12:13 AM REPLY
You should know, Its 100% ahhh, hmm.... umm, I'll get back to you about that.

Kryptonite says: Apr 20, 2010. 5:03 AM REPLY

I hate ahhh, hmm.... umm, I'll get back to you about that. threads!

Madrias357 says: Aug 14, 2009. 3:31 PM REPLY

Though it was a prank, it brought up an idea I might have to try with a friend's half-dead microwaves. (one's an old 1200 watt with a dead control panel, the
other an aging 800 watt) What if I were to put the guts of the 1200 into the 800? Would I get a monster microwave? Or a death box?

mrcrumley says: Aug 15, 2009. 8:52 AM REPLY

Do you mean REPLACE the 800 with the 1200, or ADD to it? Either way, I bet the more's the merrier. Also, I like how you want to use a friend's
microwave ovens. Smart.

Madrias357 says: Aug 19, 2009. 5:00 PM REPLY

Replacing the 800 watt with the 1200. And it's just for the fun factor of seeing if it'll work. If it blows up, he's out 2 pretty much about dead
microwaves, and I'm out 5 hours of fiddling around.

Kwitmeh3 says: Sep 6, 2009. 4:39 PM REPLY

i see a death box is going to happen

Madrias357 says: Sep 17, 2009. 8:47 PM REPLY

All I've managed to do is blow breakers. Oh well. Doomsday will have to wait until next time...

Lance Mt. says: Mar 30, 2010. 1:42 AM REPLY

Ohhhhhhhh, but you said that LAST TIMMMME!!!

C'moon, i want my doomsday

Madrias357 says: Apr 4, 2010. 7:59 PM REPLY

Oh, just give me a chance. I'll get it to work sometime...

Kwitmeh3 says: Apr 8, 2010. 7:23 PM REPLY

maybe right before summer?

Kryptonite says: Mar 30, 2010. 3:25 AM REPLY

May I suggest making your own? Don't forget to take pictures and post here!

Kwitmeh3 says: Mar 31, 2010. 7:58 AM REPLY

uhhh....

Darmani says: Apr 7, 2010. 3:59 PM REPLY

Did somebody really believed this????....

mrcrumley says: Apr 8, 2010. 5:41 AM REPLY

From the comments, I'd say, "yes." But of course, they could just be pranking me. Lies within lies

view all 312 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Synthetic-Diamond/