From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Wed Apr 14 1999 - 06:14:33 MDT
"Ross A. Finlayson" <RAF@tomco.net> writes:
> I'm not sure about silicon structures and their varieties in
> relation to carbon diamondoids and graphites. There is used silicon
> for a variety of computer chips, so it can be seen to have certain
> desirable structural qualities.
This is a non-sequitor; the reason silicon is used is because it is a
semiconductor, not because it has any structural properties.
> There can be a diamond form of silicon like carbon, presumably with
> similar physical properties.
Silicon forms crystals that are not of diamond hardness. However,
silicates can be useful. Quartz is fairly hard (still below diamond,
though) and there is a high temperature form called cristobailite
which does have a diamond structure with SiO4 tetrahedra taking the
place of the carbon atoms (not sure about its hardness, it looks a bit
too spacious to stand high pressures).
Still, if I wanted to build a really cool house I would likely go for
aluminum oxide with impurities - a house built from corundum, ruby and
emerald.
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