What is the hardest man made material?

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SUMMARY

The hardest man-made material currently recognized is aggregated diamond nanorods, which surpass the hardness of natural diamonds. This material is synthesized under extreme conditions and has applications in various industries due to its superior hardness. In contrast, neutronium, theorized to be the hardest material in the universe, cannot be practically utilized or tested for hardness due to its unstable nature outside of neutron stars. The discussion highlights the complexities of defining and measuring hardness in materials, especially those that exist under extreme conditions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of material science concepts, particularly hardness and its measurement.
  • Familiarity with synthetic materials, specifically aggregated diamond nanorods.
  • Knowledge of astrophysics, particularly the properties of neutron stars and neutronium.
  • Basic principles of superfluidity and its implications on material properties.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the synthesis process of aggregated diamond nanorods and their applications.
  • Explore the properties of neutronium and the implications of its theoretical existence.
  • Study methods for measuring hardness in materials, including Mohs scale and Vickers hardness test.
  • Investigate the concept of superfluidity and its effects on material behavior under extreme conditions.
USEFUL FOR

Material scientists, physicists, and engineers interested in advanced materials and their applications, as well as those exploring the theoretical aspects of hardness in extreme environments.

willstaruss22
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Im just curious if Humans have created anything harder than a diamond.
 
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Now the hardest thing nature has ever created (by nature I mean space) Is neutronium, if it exists
 
dbmorpher said:
Now the hardest thing nature has ever created (by nature I mean space) Is neutronium, if it exists

I don't think that's actually helpful, even if it does exist, because you can't DO anything with it. As I understand it, as soon as a small amount of was removed from a neutron star, it would separate explosively.
 
phinds said:
I don't think that's actually helpful, even if it does exist, because you can't DO anything with it. As I understand it, as soon as a small amount of was removed from a neutron star, it would separate explosively.

exactly
 
dbmorpher said:
Now the hardest thing nature has ever created (by nature I mean space) Is neutronium, if it exists


It isn't clear. Neutron star cores are superfluid, so they might not be hard at all. Intuition is not of much use.

The problem is that how would you test such hardness? If you tried to scratch it wish something else, that something would collapse into neutrons and be absorbed, I think. So what does hardness even mean?
 

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