The present disclosure describes a compression device, a compression process, a method of producing synthetic materials and a method of sample characterization. The present disclosure belongs to the fields of Physics, Chemistry and Engineering.

A synthetic single crystal diamond containing 100 ppm or more and 1500 ppm or less of nitrogen atoms, in which the synthetic single crystal diamond contains aggregates each composed of one vacancy and two to four nitrogen atoms present adjacent to the vacancy, a ratio b/a of a length b of a short diagonal line to a length a of a long diagonal line of diagonal lines of a Knoop indentation in a <110> direction in a {001} plane of the synthetic single crystal diamond is 0.08 or less, and the Knoop indentation is formed by measuring Knoop hardness in the <100> direction in the {001} plane of the synthetic single crystal diamond according to JIS Z 2251: 2009 under conditions of a temperature of 23° C.±5° C. and a test load of 4.9 N.

An apparatus for the manufacture of synthetic diamonds includes a pressure vessel having a chamber therein, and a body located in the chamber. The pressure vessel and the body are formed of materials having different coefficients of expansion. The coefficient of expansion of the body is greater than the coefficient of expansion of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is formed from a material having a melting point in excess of 1327° C. and capable of withstanding a pressure of at least 4.4 Gpa at a temperature of at least 1327° C. The chamber is configured to receive the body, and a carbon source, the apparatus further comprising a heating means configured to heat at least the body to a temperature at least of 1327° C. The coefficient of expansion of the body is selected such that upon heating thereof to at least 1327° C. the pressure exerted on the carbon source is at least 4.4 Gpa.

A synthetic block for optimizing the performance of diamonds and gemstones is provided, including: a sealing material, a thermal insulation material, conductive materials, and a heating material. The conductive materials are provided at both ends of the sealing material. The heating material abuts between the conductive materials, and a high-temperature and high-pressure area is formed inside the heating material. The thermal insulation material includes a first thermal insulation tube and a second thermal insulation tube that are sequentially telescoped the conductive materials. The first thermal insulation tube abuts on an outer wall of the heating material, the second thermal insulation tube is provided between the sealing material and the first thermal insulation tube, a height of the second thermal insulation tube is greater than that of the first thermal insulation tube, and the synthetic block is square.

A high-pressure high-temperature, HPHT, diamond tool piece and a method of producing an HPHT diamond tool piece. At least a portion of the HPHT diamond tool piece comprises an aggregated nitrogen centre to C-nitrogen centre ratio of greater than 30%. The method includes irradiating an HPHT diamond material to introduce vacancies in the diamond crystal lattice, annealing the HPHT diamond material such that at least a portion of the HPHT diamond material comprises an aggregated nitrogen centre to C-nitrogen centre ratio of greater than 30%, and processing the HPHT diamond material to form an HPHT diamond tool piece.

Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method can be used to make drilling tools from new wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) superhard material. An ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation is performed on pure w-BN powder to synthesize w-BN and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) compact having a first size greater than particles of the pure w-BN powder. The ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation includes pressurizing the w-BN powder to a pressure of approximately 20 Gigapascal, heating the w-BN powder at a heating rate of 100° C./minute and cooling the w-BN powder at a cooling rate of 50° C./minute. The compact is cut to a second size smaller than the first size using laser cutting tools. The cut compact is bonded metallurgically, mechanically, or both metallurgically and mechanically onto a tool substrate to form the drilling tool.

A measurement tool having a tip part consisting of polycrystalline diamond, in which the polycrystalline diamond contains at least one of dispersed nitrogen, boron, and phosphorus, the tool includes a shank part, and the tip part is provided at an end portion of the shank part.

An electrode comprising synthetic high-pressure high-temperature diamond material, the diamond material comprising a substitutional boron concentration of between 1×10.sup.20 and 5×10.sup.21 atoms/cm.sup.3 and a nitrogen concentration of no more than 10.sup.19 atoms/cm.sup.3. The electrode has a ΔE.sub.3/4-1/4 as measured with respect to a saturated calomel reference electrode in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M KNO.sub.3 and 1 mM of Ru(NH.sub.3).sub.6.sup.3+ selected any of less than 70 mV, less than 68 mV, less than 66 mV, and less than 64 mV, and/or a peak to peak separation ΔE.sub.p as measured with respect to a saturated calomel reference electrode in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M KNO.sub.3 and 1 mM of Ru(NH.sub.3).sub.6.sup.3+ selected any of less than 70 mV, less than 68 mV, less than 66 mV, and less than 64 mV.

A high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) press is provided having a plurality of press bases. In one embodiment, the press includes eight or more press bases arranged in one of an octahedral, a dodecahedral or an icosahedral geometry. The press bases may include, or be coupled with, anvils configured to converge on a central region. An octahedral, a dodecahedral or an icosahedral reaction cell may be positioned at the central region for pressing by the converging anvils. In one embodiment, the reaction cell may include an opening, such as a through-hole, extending from a first face of the reaction cell to a second, opposite face of the reaction cell. One or more canisters containing materials to be sintered may be disposed in the opening to be subjected to a HTHP process.

An apparatus for the manufacture of cubic Boron Nitride includes a pressure vessel having a chamber therein, and a body located in the chamber. The pressure vessel and the body are formed of materials having different coefficients of expansion. The coefficient of expansion of the body is greater than the coefficient of expansion of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is formed from a material having a melting point in excess of 1327° C. and capable of withstanding a pressure of at least 4.4Gpa at a temperature of at least 1327° C. The chamber is configured to receive the body, and a Boron Nitride source, the apparatus further comprising a furnace configured to heat at least the body to a temperature at least of 1327° C. The coefficient of expansion of the body is selected such that upon heating thereof to at least 1327° C. the pressure exerted on the Boron Nitride source is at least 4.4Gpa.