An allotropic form of the element
carbon with cubic structure (space group
)
which is thermodynamically
stable at pressures above
at room temperature and
metastable at atmospheric pressure. At low pressures diamond converts rapidly to
graphite at temperatures above
in an
inert atmosphere. The chemical bonding between the carbon atoms is covalent with
hybridization.
Note:
There is also a hexagonal diamond-like structure of the element carbon (lonsdaleite).
Source:
PAC, 1995, 67, 473
(Recommended terminology for the description of carbon as a solid (IUPAC Recommendations
1995))
on page 487
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
