The emergence of lab grown diamonds has transformed the diamond industry. It provides an ethical and sustainable alternative to natural mined diamonds. There are two primary methods to create these man-made gems.
One is HPHT (High pressure, high temperature) and another is CVD (Chemical vapor deposition). Both of them mimic the formation process of natural diamond.
In this post, we will delve into these hpht vs cvdmethods and explore the process, their advantages.
The HPHT
The HPHT (High pressure, high temperature) is one of the oldest methods used for growing a lab diamond. In this process, a small carbon seed is placed in pressured environment with a temperature that is exceeding more than 1000 degree Celsius.
The carbon, usually a mixture of graphite and a metallic catalyst, is then subjected to deep pressure. It all simulates the natural conditions under which diamonds are formed deep within the Earth’s mantle.
The high pressure and the temperature triggers the growth of a diamond around the same. The carbon atoms assemble themselves in a crystal shape while replicating the structure of a natural diamonds. This formation process takes about several weeks or months to complete, depending on the desired size and shape.
Advantages of HPHT
HPHT has been a proven technique used for many years and is an established method for diamond growing. This method is preferred choice for certain applications is for its reliability and ability to produce large and high quality diamonds.
Another advantage of HPHT is, it can be also used to enhance the colour of the diamonds. By putting high temperatures, the process removes impurities. As a result, the colour comes in more desirable grades.
CVD
CVD (Chemical vapour deposition) is a newer method for creating lab grown diamonds. The process of CVD is by placing a seed in a sealed chamber with methane.
Then the chamber is heated to moderate temperature of around 800 to 1,000 degrees Celcius. And then layer by layer, forms a diamonds crystal. This process takes shorter time unlike HPHT.
Advantages of CVD
The CVD method offers great flexibility and scalability in terms of diamonds size, shape and quality. The growth process can be controlled while allowing for the creation of diamonds with specific characteristics. CVD requires less energy, making it a more environment friendly. It contributes to lower production cost and a smaller carbon footprint.
Both CVD Vs HPHT are effective methods for growing lab diamonds. Each of them has their own advantages. Choosing one of them is up to the demand of the creator.