What Has Been The Growth In The Use Of CVD Diamonds In The Last Decade?

 A new type of diamond has hit the market and it’s not what you would expect. Lab-grown diamonds, also known as CVD diamonds, have grown rapidly in popularity since their invention in the 1950s, though they aren’t considered real diamonds by most in the diamond industry. The following article will help you understand what these CVD diamonds are all about, how they are made, and who exactly is using them today.

Introduction

Diamonds are one of the most popular gemstones with consumers because they are available at a variety of price points, and have an inherent value that can be appreciated by anyone. One way to cut down on this expense is to find a diamond that is not natural but created in a laboratory. These lab-grown diamonds are called CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamonds.

CVD technology was originally developed for semiconductor manufacturing purposes, but it's now also used as a method for manufacturing synthetic diamonds that don't require mining or cutting down natural reserves. The process begins by adding gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen gas into a vacuum chamber, which react to form molecules consisting mostly of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal rings Lab diamonds. The reaction generates heat and releases a mixture of gases including methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. Next, the pressure inside the chamber is lowered, so that only gases exist. Then small bits of diamond crystals are added to this low-pressure environment. By applying low-pressure conditions over time these particles will eventually assemble themselves into perfect tiny crystal diamonds. As production continues more heat will be released from the reaction process so cooling systems are installed to keep things under control during production and prevent things from overheating during production.

The Market For CVD Diamonds

In 2006, a new process was developed for creating synthetic diamonds, known as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). This process is more economically feasible than other methods, and it produces higher-quality gems. These qualities have led to an increase in demand for CVD-grown diamonds. According to Diamond Insight's 2016 report, The market for gem-quality synthetic diamond production grew by 47% year-on-year to $2.7 billion. This is up from just $1.4 billion in 2015 and $1.3 billion in 2014. Furthermore, many natural diamond producers are looking into investing in this type of technology. De Beers recently announced that they would be opening their first factory dedicated to manufacturing synthetic diamonds by 2020.

The Benefits Of CVD Diamonds

The advancement of technology has led to the invention and popularization of synthetic diamond production. The process for making these man-made gems, called chemical vapour deposition (CVD), was developed in 1954 by General Electric. These days, more than 90 per cent of all industrial diamonds are manufactured synthetically by this process. Synthetic stones are often cheaper than natural stones and have a less stringent grading system that only takes into account clarity and colour. So why is it still so hard to find them at your local jewellery store?

The Challenges Faced By The CVD Diamond Industry

The CVD diamond industry faces several challenges, including the danger that it will be seen as an inferior quality stone. This is largely due to some people's belief that it is simply silicon carbide with a thin layer of diamond on top. If this perception continues to spread, it could spell disaster for the industry. A few other challenges are that production may not be able to keep up with demand and there is no way to distinguish between natural and synthetic diamonds.

The Future Of CVD Diamonds

In the last 10 years, there has been significant growth in the use of CVD diamonds. In 2002, De Beers estimated that there were about 200,000 carats (4 grams) of synthetic diamond produced. By 2003, De Beers increased their estimate to 500,000 carats (10 grams). As demand for high-quality diamonds continues to increase and current supply becomes constrained by natural supply constraints, more producers will likely turn to CVD diamond production. For example, HPHT (high pressure-high temperature) diamond is now the mainstay of Diacor’s business. Furthermore, while HPHT was once viewed as strictly a tool for cutting rough with small defects because these types of diamonds could not be polished effectively and have very high thermal conductivity properties making them undesirable as jewellery stones, HPHT technology has evolved considerably over the past few decades. With this technology, it is now possible to cut fine gems out of this type of diamond and polish them to an acceptable level.