If someone were to walk up to you and ask you what diamond is used for, what would be your answer? Probably, your mind can’t think beyond jewelry, right? Don’t worry, you are one in the cesspool of people of the world who know that diamond is a precious metal which only finds use in the creation of jewelry.
However, the truth is that diamonds find use in several applications in today’s world. It possesses unique properties that make it perfect for many other things outside of jewelry. Want to know what these are? Well, here is a quick overview of the top 5 applications of diamonds that many people aren’t aware of:
1. Industrial applications
Thanks to the strength of diamonds (a score of 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale), they are utilized in the industrial capacity to do a number of things including drilling, cutting, and polishing. The number of industries that make use of diamond saws and mills is quite the number including mining, military and automotive. These often add diamond particles to saw edges and drill bits to enhance their cutting mechanism.
2. Health applications
Secondly, diamonds have been proven to be effective in the fight against cancer. A study performed by the Cardiff University revealed that nano-diamonds (super tiny diamonds, way smaller than a single strand of hair) indicate the effectiveness of cancer drugs. The reflective property of diamond and its compatibility with human cells allow researchers to monitor cellular processes quite precisely.
Diamond can also help with cavities. Dentists used tools that are tipped with diamond to drill and clean cavities. Smaller particles of diamond are placed on the tip of the drilling tools to make them more abrasive.
3. Electronic applications
Diamonds have a high thermal conductivity. Therefore, they can be used to prevent delicate electronic parts from sun damage. Another electrical application is heat sinks where diamond emulsions are used to repel the heat of the sun.
4. Beauty applications
We are not talking about jewelry here although ultimately, that is part of the package. Diamond emulsions have been known to be great additives for exfoliator creams. It is a fairly recent application that is picking up the pace in the beauty industry. Some beauty experts actually purport that diamonds could substantially reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
5. Audio equipment
Last but not least, diamond is used to improve sound quality. It is hard and can vibrate quite easily. For this reason, it is used in audio equipment by DJs and sound technicians.
So there you have it: 5 surprising uses of diamonds. This list is projected to become longer as more studies regarding the use of diamonds are conducted.
