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Diamond-coated Steel

Posted by michael on from the girl's-best-friend dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A Dutch chemist has successfully coated steel with a layer of diamond, opening the possibility for insanely strong tools that almost never wear out -- not to mention armor tough as, well, diamond-coated nails. From Science Blog."

5 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Tools? by PD · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How about engine parts? They might make an engine that would run for a half million miles with normal oil changes.

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    If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
  2. Fuel cell application? by spumoni_fettuccini · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I know one of the issues was storage. Store it cold/under extreme pressure [while allowing more hydrogen] a very thick walled tank is needed which adds serious weight. If it was stored in a thinner walled tank the amount of hydrogen capacity was cut down to a point of not really being feasible as a fuel alternative. Seems like this might help.

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    -- Some days you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant.
    1. Re:Fuel cell application? by Old+Wolf · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I saw a thing on 20/20 with a clever solution to this problem. A GM prototype car uses the chassis as the fuel cell: the chassis looks like a big skateboard (with a wheel near each corner), the skateboard is strong and the hydrogen is stored inside it. Then you can bolt seats on top of it, put a bodyshell over the top, etc.

  3. Re:Aerospace: shuttle tiles, NASP by anubi · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Yes, it may melt at these exhorbitantly high temperatures, but does it burn?

    Diamond is carbon. So is charcoal.

    I betcha it takes a helluva temperature to melt charcoal briquettes too. But they really don't get all that hot in the barbeque.

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    "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]

  4. since when is this new? by Magius_AR · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Many of the nastier japanese swords that I've seen had diamond coats or something to make them sharper.