Diamond is a high-pressure polymorph of carbon, C, named by Pliny (77 A.D.) from the corruption of the Greek word meaning “the invincible.”
Physical Properties
Diamond belongs to the isometric crystal system. The crystal habit is dominantly octahedral, less commonly dodecahedral and cubic, and rarely tetrahedral. The faces are often curved due to growth and solution facets, and are frequently striated or etched (see Fig. 1). It is the hardest known natural mineral, being 10 in the Mohs scale of hardness. It is not attacked by acids, and has a greasy touch. The structural cell, a0=3.5595 Å, contains eight carbon atoms and is face-centered cubic. Twinning is common on {111} and on {001}. The refractive index n, ranges from 2.417 to 2.421 (Na light). Dispersion is strong, and the characteristic luster of the polished stones is due to a combination of the high refractive index and the extreme hardness. The optical and physical properties depend mainly upon the presence or absence of...
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Dawson, J.B. (1981). Diamond . In: Mineralogy. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30720-6_35
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