A study has found that diamonds raining down on Uranus and Neptune, the planets of the solar system, may be occurring all over the universe.
Under the surface of Uranus and Neptune, hydrogen and carbon exist in a high-temperature, high-density liquid state. It is believed that diamonds are formed there and are slowly sinking towards the rocky core the size of the Earth more than 10,000 km below, which is called the ‘diamond rain’ phenomenon.
International researchers, such as the Dresten-Rosendorf Research Institute (HZDR) in Helmholtzzentrum, Germany, announced that they had succeeded in reproducing the diamond rain phenomenon by experimenting with general plastics.
“When oxygen is added to hydrogen and carbon, the diamond rain phenomenon is likely to be more common than previously expected,” the researchers noted.
It is believed that the largest number of giant ice planets, such as Uranus and Neptune, exist outside the solar system. Therefore, the researchers explain that the diamond rain phenomenon is likely to occur all over the universe.
Dr. Dominique Klaus, a physicist at HZDR who participated in the study, explained, “Diamond rain is completely different from rain that falls on Earth.”
“Diamonds can form extensive layers over hundreds of kilometers or more,” Klaus said. Even a diamond is unlikely to shine like a beautiful gem, but the structure it creates is like that of the Earth.”
To reproduce the diamond rain phenomenon, the research team prepared polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used for food packaging and plastic bottles, as a mixture of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
The PET used in the experiment was completely new for research purposes. “Theoretically, you might experiment with a bottle of Coke,” Klaus said.
The researchers irradiated the plastic with a high-power laser at the Stanford National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) in California, USA. By irradiating extremely bright X-rays very quickly, we succeeded in observing the process of creating granular nanodiamonds that are invisible to the naked eye.
“Planes like Uranus and Neptune have a lot of oxygen, so it’s easy to take hydrogen atoms from carbon,” Klaus said. That’s how easy it is to make a diamond.”
Experiments also show the possibility of developing new manufacturing methods for nanodiamonds. Nanodiamonds are widely used in drug delivery technology that controls drug ingredients, non-invasive surgery, and quantum electronic technology.
The detailed research results were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal ‘Science Advances’ (the 2nd).
By Yoon Tae-hee, staff reporter th20022@seoul.co.kr