So I was reading that Aggregated Diamond Nanorods

[Zysoclaplem]

I have read that they are up to .3% denser, and are harder than your "average diamond."
But does that mean they are harder than just your "average diamond", or all diamonds?
Wikipedia is so full of little contradictions on this.

 

[Tiamat]

I don't think its very easy to classify that carbon nanorods are diamonds. They employ diamond-like characteristics, but I think its very difficult to say that nanorods = crystals. Nanorods are just individual rods of carbon. I do not believe there is any intergrowth.

edit: For clarification, in my research, I have not observed carbon nanotubes, nanofilaments, or nano"rods" to be actual diamonds.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
I don't think its very easy to classify that carbon nanorods are diamonds. They employ diamond-like characteristics, but I think its very difficult to say that nanorods = crystals. Nanorods are just individual rods of carbon. I do not believe there is any intergrowth.

Diamonds or not, they are being classified as the "hardest subtance known to man", but it also says they are only harder than your average diamond.
Well the average diamond is not going to be the densest diamond known to man. So does that mean that ADNs are harder than all diamonds, or just your average diamond?

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: Tiamat
I don't think its very easy to classify that carbon nanorods are diamonds. They employ diamond-like characteristics, but I think its very difficult to say that nanorods = crystals. Nanorods are just individual rods of carbon. I do not believe there is any intergrowth.

Diamonds or not, they are being classified as the "hardest subtance known to man", but it also says they are only harder than your average diamond.
Well the average diamond is not going to be the densest diamond known to man. So does that mean that ADNs are harder than all diamonds, or just your average diamond?

Carbon nanostructures have exhibited higher "strength" than current macroscopic structures like diamond. For instance, a vest created by weaved carbon nanotubes would be much stronger than a vest created by diamonds. Also, more mobile etc.

Unfortunately, I have quite a bit more research to do before I get a grasp on this stuff. When dealing with such small features, any flaw can have very serious effects on the characteristics of the nanostructure.

When a source is wishy-washy like that, that means they dont really understand whats going on - kind of how my statements in this thread have been.

 

[DrPizza]

Wiki is wonderful for a quick reference... but, given the nature of the beast - anyone can write to it - I'm sure that this isn't the only case where something is ambiguous or poorly written. And, I'll bet there are plenty of entries that are simply wrong.