Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory resolves diamond melting mystery

Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of Rochester have resolved a 20-year scientific mystery regarding how diamond melts under extreme pressure. Using the Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the team utilized laser-driven dynamic compression to observe the behavior of carbon under conditions three times greater than Earth’s core.

For two decades, a roughly 20 percent discrepancy existed between observed melting temperatures and theoretical computer simulations. Previous experiments suggested that diamond’s density increases as it melts—a rare behavior similar to water—but scientists could not capture the atomic structure to confirm the process. The new research proves that carbon maintains its diamond structure up to the point of melting.

This breakthrough has significant implications for the future of energy and planetary science. It could potentially triple energy gain in laser-driven nuclear fusion and improve scientific models regarding the composition of ice giant planets.