A new type of diamond has hit the market and it’s not what you would expect. Lab-grown diamonds, also known as CVD diamonds, have grown rapidly in popularity since their invention in the 1950s, though they aren’t considered real diamonds by most in the diamond industry. The following article will help you understand what these CVD diamonds are all about, how they are made, and who exactly is using them today.
Introduction
Diamonds
are one of the most popular gemstones with consumers because they are available
at a variety of price points, and have an inherent value that can be
appreciated by anyone. One way to cut down on this expense is to find a diamond
that is not natural but created in a laboratory. These lab-grown diamonds are
called CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamonds.
CVD
technology was originally developed for semiconductor manufacturing purposes,
but it's now also used as a method for manufacturing synthetic diamonds that
don't require mining or cutting down natural reserves. The process begins by
adding gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen gas into a vacuum chamber, which react
to form molecules consisting mostly of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal rings
Lab diamonds. The reaction generates heat and releases a mixture
of gases including methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. Next, the pressure
inside the chamber is lowered, so that only gases exist. Then small bits of
diamond crystals are added to this low-pressure environment. By applying
low-pressure conditions over time these particles will eventually assemble
themselves into perfect tiny crystal diamonds. As production continues more
heat will be released from the reaction process so cooling systems are
installed to keep things under control during production and prevent things
from overheating during production.
The Market For CVD Diamonds
In
2006, a new process was developed for creating synthetic diamonds, known as
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). This process is more economically feasible
than other methods, and it produces higher-quality gems. These qualities have
led to an increase in demand for CVD-grown diamonds. According to Diamond
Insight's 2016 report, The market for gem-quality synthetic diamond production
grew by 47% year-on-year to $2.7 billion. This is up from just $1.4 billion in
2015 and $1.3 billion in 2014. Furthermore, many natural diamond producers are
looking into investing in this type of technology. De Beers recently announced
that they would be opening their first factory dedicated to manufacturing
synthetic diamonds by 2020.
The Benefits Of CVD Diamonds
The
advancement of technology has led to the invention and popularization of
synthetic diamond production. The process for making these man-made gems,
called chemical vapour deposition (CVD), was developed in 1954 by General
Electric. These days, more than 90 per cent of all industrial diamonds are
manufactured synthetically by this process. Synthetic stones are often cheaper
than natural stones and have a less stringent grading system that only takes
into account clarity and colour. So why is it still so hard to find them at
your local jewellery store?
The Challenges Faced By The CVD
Diamond Industry
The
CVD diamond industry faces several challenges, including the danger that it
will be seen as an inferior quality stone. This is largely due to some people's
belief that it is simply silicon carbide with a thin layer of diamond on top.
If this perception continues to spread, it could spell disaster for the
industry. A few other challenges are that production may not be able to keep up
with demand and there is no way to distinguish between natural and synthetic
diamonds.
The Future Of CVD Diamonds
In
the last 10 years, there has been significant growth in the use of CVD diamonds.
In 2002, De Beers estimated that there were about 200,000 carats (4 grams) of
synthetic diamond produced. By 2003, De Beers increased their estimate to
500,000 carats (10 grams). As demand for high-quality diamonds continues to
increase and current supply becomes constrained by natural supply constraints,
more producers will likely turn to CVD diamond production. For example, HPHT
(high pressure-high temperature) diamond is now the mainstay of Diacor’s
business. Furthermore, while HPHT was once viewed as strictly a tool for
cutting rough with small defects because these types of diamonds could not be
polished effectively and have very high thermal conductivity properties making
them undesirable as jewellery stones, HPHT technology has evolved considerably
over the past few decades. With this technology, it is now possible to cut fine
gems out of this type of diamond and polish them to an acceptable level.