We have already talked about the possibility of capturing CO2 directly from the air and also about the energy requirements that this technology would have. But on this occasion I want to talk about one of the uses that captured carbon would have: becoming diamond. That is, competing with nature, which has taken years with high pressure and temperature to convert carbon into diamonds, to produce laboratory diamonds with captured carbon.
The idea of producing laboratory diamonds is not new; we could trace it back to the 19th century. In our times, for some years now, it is already an increasingly common reality; diamonds have been created in controlled environments, in laboratories that use cutting-edge technology to replicate natural processes such as high pressure and temperature that are involved in the transformation of graphite into diamond.
As is well known, since the end of the 18th century it was discovered that diamonds were, in reality, pure carbon. Then, multiple efforts began to develop them with a certain degree of economic viability. The first laboratory diamonds appeared in the 1950s and became popular from the 1970s and 1980s.
It should be noted that when we think of diamonds, those used for jewelry quickly come to mind, particularly in engagement rings and other high-end jewelry. However, diamonds, which do not necessarily have the aesthetic characteristics of the diamonds used in jewelry, are also used in other industries such as machinery and cutting equipment, thermal conductors, electronics, optical materials and even lasers.
The idea, then, is simple, at least in concept. Capture CO2 from the air, with the technology that we have already analyzed, to convert the captured CO2 into diamonds using laboratory processes. With this, it avoids the greenhouse effect that causes global warming and climate change, at the same time that it creates a desired product.
A company in the United States even already sells the idea of laboratory diamond jewelry that offsets your greenhouse gas emissions. The company is called Aether and maintains that each carat removes at least 20 tons of CO2 in the air; which is equivalent to offsetting 2 and a half years of emissions of an average person.
The process to convert the captured CO2 is that of high temperature and high pressure, which is the oldest and cheapest to date. The process requires an internal temperature of 1400º Celsius and high pressure to convert the captured CO2 into diamonds. The diamond produced is jewelry-grade because of its high market value, which competes with natural diamonds.
As we pointed out last week, to the high energy cost of capturing CO2 directly from the air is added the cost of the process of heating the CO2 to 1400º Celsius and subjecting it to high pressure. Therefore, if energy from conventional sources is used, the final CO2 balance would be negative. For this, the company uses renewable energy sources, with which it complements, at least in theory, the virtuous cycle of circular energy.
Without a doubt, recycled CO2 diamonds are not natural diamonds, but in practice they are identical and difficult to determine if they are from laboratories. In addition, they have an advantage by eliminating the problems of conflict, environment and monopolistic practices that have characterized the industry. And you, would you buy a recycled CO2 diamond?
This article was originally published by Business Insider México.
Date: April 14, 2021
Original Link: https://businessinsider.mx/diamantes-con-co2-reciclado/ [offline]
Archived Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20240223124233/https://businessinsider.mx/diamantes-con-co2-reciclado/ [Archived]