Article: New diamond possesses same hardness but different properties as old rock, scientists say.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

PHILADELPHIA _ Diamond, the king of all minerals, now comes in another form _ one that is far easier and cheaper than either mining real diamonds or making synthetics.

The new diamond is still the world's hardest substance, able to cut through concrete, stone and marble. But it has slightly different heat conductivity and other properties, said Drexel University materials engineer Yuri Gogotsi, who headed a team with the University of Illinois that announced the invention in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

While ordinary synthetic diamonds are made by subjecting graphite to crushing pressure and searing heat _ a process that creates diamonds ...

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