Scientists have long pondered the existence of BC8 superdiamonds, a material theorized to be significantly harder than any known substance, possibly found deep within the cores of massive exoplanets. However, replicating these extreme conditions on Earth to produce BC8 has been a daunting task.
Recently, a breakthrough came from the Frontier supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Laboratory. This supercomputer, among the world’s fastest, has enabled researchers to simulate the formation of BC8 under extreme pressures and temperatures. Led by Ivan Oleynik, a professor at the University of South Florida, the team leveraged Frontier’s immense computational power to unravel the complexities of BC8 formation.
Oleynik likened the challenge to the medieval quest for the philosopher’s stone, a mythical substance believed to transmute base metals into gold. The team utilized a software module called LAMMPS (Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator) to conduct simulations that other computers couldn’t handle due to their limited computational capacity.
The findings revealed a surprising discovery: BC8 formation requires melting traditional diamonds under conditions akin to 12 million times Earth’s atmospheric pressure and temperatures nearing 5,000 K, similar to the sun’s surface. This novel approach involves transforming carbon liquid into BC8’s crystalline structure, distinct from conventional phase transitions.
Armed with these insights, the team plans to validate their simulations by attempting BC8 synthesis at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility. This facility, using powerful lasers, can recreate the extreme conditions necessary for BC8 formation.
While the challenge remains formidable, Oleynik expressed optimism, crediting Frontier for providing a path forward in the pursuit of creating BC8 on Earth.
