Scientists at North Carolina State University have discovered a carbon state harder than diamonds, according to a Fox News.
Lead researcher Jay Narayan and his team have found a substance called Q-carbon, which "allows them to produce diamond-related structures at room temperature and at ambient atmospheric pressure in air."
The substance also has some other interesting characteristics that its sister forms do not.
First of all, the mysterious substance is ferromagnetic, which means it is able to become magnetized, something other solid forms of carbon are unable to do, according to a press release from NCSU.
"We didn't even think that was possible," said Narayan. "These diamond objects have a single-crystalline structure, making them stronger than polycrystalline materials."
It also glows when it is exposed to energy.
"This discovery opens a new chapter in synthesis and processing of nanodiamond and microdiamond for a variety of applications ranging from abrasive powders, novel catalytic properties, smart displays, myriads of biomedical and microelectronic, and nanoelectronic applications," said the team.
"Q-carbon's strength and low work-function - its willingness to release electrons - make it very promising for developing new electronic display technologies," Narayan added.
The research was published by the Journal of Applied Physics.
