Hypersonic projectiles turn ultra-hard diamond composite into shock-absorbing graphite
Researchers at Texas A&M and Rice University discovered that diamond composites transform into shock-absorbing graphite when struck by high-velocity projectiles. This atomic-scale metamorphosis provides new insights for developing advanced protective materials for aerospace and defense applications.
Why it matters
Understanding how materials behave under extreme stress is critical for engineering safer, more resilient technology for space and defense sectors.
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Add to Preferred Sources The Hypervelocity Impact Laboratory houses one of the world's highest-throughput, two-stage light gas guns. Stretching 45 feet long, the powerful system launches projectiles at speeds of up to 29,000 miles per hour, while high-speed cameras and ultrafast sensors capture every moment of impact. Credit: Texas A&M Transportation Institute "Diamonds are forever." Or so the saying goes. Texas A&M University College of Engineering and Rice University researchers put that claim to the ultimate test. They forged a diamond composite, then marched it directly into the line of fire, blasting it with aluminum projectiles traveling at more than eight times the speed of sound.
The researchers expected damage; what they discovered instead was atomic-scale metamorphosis—and proof that diamonds aren't necessarily forever.
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