Method for creating diamond dust via detonation of carbon dioxide and reducing agent combinations
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method and formulation for the creation of a diamond-carbon bearing material of varying particle sizes. The material is a detonation by-product of explosive formulations that employ carbon dioxide as the oxidizing agent and a material, such as powdered magnesium, as the fuel for such detonation.
1. A method for transforming carbon dioxide into diamonds via detonation comprising: a) preparing a detonatable charge comprising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in either the solid or liquid state or a combination thereof and an effective amount of a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of powdered metal, atomized metal, powder metal alloy, atomized metal alloy or metal combination thereof capable of being oxidized by the CO 2 so as to form elemental carbon as a byproduct wherein the charge has a neutral or positive oxygen balance calculated without including the carbon in the carbon dioxide; b) detonating the charge in an environment that protects the carbon byproduct from subsequent chemical decomposition, thereby oxidizing the reducing agent and producing a material that contains diamond; and c) harvesting diamond from the material produced by the detonation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is elemental magnesium (Mg).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is elemental aluminum (Al).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge is prepared by blending dry ice with the reducing agent at temperatures and pressures that permit the solid state of CO 2 .
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge is prepared by combining the reducing agent with liquid CO 2 .
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the detonatable charge also contains a sensitizer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the sensitizer is explosive RDX (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine).
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge is detonated in one of or a combination of the following: argon, water and oxygen free water.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge is detonated in water, and a water-soluble flocculant is added to the water to help precipitate the diamond-containing material.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the charge is detonated in a heavy gauge cylinder.