| | |  Technology News | November 2008 
Tequila - An Alcoholic Gem
 Owain Bury - gair rhydd
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| | If you drink enough tequila, this is what you’ll turn into. | | |
Scientists in Mexico have successfully turned their national beverage Tequila into diamonds.
Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico found that when the heated vapour of ‘tequila blanco’ was deposited on a stainless steel base, it formed diamond films.
The tequila diamonds formed so far have been too small to be used in jewellery such as rings, but they have other potential uses.
Scientist Miguel Apatiga said they could be used to “detect radiation, coat cutting tools or, above all, as a substitute for silicon in the computer chips of the future.”
Experiments began thirteen years ago and synthetic diamonds were created by a technological process, unlike natural diamonds that are formed geologically from gases like methane.
Diamonds were eventually made from liquids when it was noticed that the ideal compound for the process consisted of 40 percent ethanol and 60 percent water, the same proportion used in tequila.
Mr Apatiga said: “One day I went to the campus shop and bought a bottle of cheap tequila. I used it under the same experimental conditions as for a test with ethanol and water and obtained positive results.”
He said: “It’s true that the fact it’s tequila has a certain charm. It’s a Mexican product and Mexican researchers developed the project.” |
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