Strontium diamonds

Rutile. Rutile, a form of TiCb, was at one lime used as a rather poor diamond imitation. Related is strontium titanaie, SrTiOj. now more properly called synthetic tausonite. 

While we have not yet carried out detailed kinetic measurements on the rate of photocorrosion, our impression is that the process is relatively insensitive to the specific composition of the strontium titanate. Trace element compositions, obtained by spark-source mass spectrometry, are presented in Table I for the four boules of n-SrTi03 from which electrodes have been cut. Photocorrosion has been observed in samples from all four boules. In all cases, the electrodes were cut to a thickness of 1-2 mm using a diamond saw, reduced under H2 at 800-1000 C for up to 16 hours, polished with a diamond paste cloth, and etched with either hot concentrated nitric acid or hot aqua regia. Ohmic contacts were then made with gallium-indium eutectic alloy, and a wire was attached using electrically conductive silver epoxy prior to mounting the electrode on a Pyrex support tube with either epoxy cement or heat-shrinkable Teflon tubing. 

Figure 52 Initial ENd ssr isotope plot of calculated whole-rock eclogites from Africa (Koidu—Hills and Haggerty, 1989 Orapa—Smith et al., 1989 Viljoen et al, 1996 Roberts Victor—Jagoutz et al, 1984 Smith et al., 1989 Jacob and Jagoutz, 1994 Bellsbank—Neal et al., 1990), Yakutia (Snyder et al, 1993 Jacob et al, 1994 Pearson et al., 1995a Snyder et al, 1997), and eclogitic inclusions in diamonds (Richardson, 1986 Richardson et al, 1990 1999 Smith et al, 1991). Eclogite data are initial calculated whole-rock neodymium isotope compositions. Strontium isotope compositions are from clinopyroxene only. Cratonic peridotite minerals and diamond inclusions are plotted for comparison. Arrow points to a sample from Udachnaya that has a calculated initial SNd of 484. dashed lines are...

Kramers J. D. (1979) Lead, uranium, strontium, potassium and rubidium in inclusion-bearing diamonds and mantle-derived xenoliths from southern Africa. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 42(1), 58-70. 

Smith C. B., Gurney J. J., Harris J. W., Otter M. L., Kirkley M. B., and Jagoutz E. (1991) Neodymium and strontium isotope systematics of eclogite and websterite paragenesis inclusions from single diamonds, Finsch and Kimberley Pool, RSA. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, 2579-2590. 

Barium and strontium have been incorporated in new materials research. Barium titanate (BaTi03) is used in ceramic capacitors and, when incorporated in tin, makes a material harder than diamond. Crystals of barium titanate are also used in optical materials. Strontium titanate (SrTi03) has such a high refractive index that it sparkles like diamond and is used in less expensive jewelry. 

Strontium titanate has a high refractive index that enables it to sparkle like an actual diamond. It is frequently used in less expensive jewelry, (theimage.com)... 

Synthesis of Polyphenylcarbynes Using Highly Reactive Calcium, Barium, and Strontium A Precursor for Diamond-like Carbon... 

As the compound strontium titanate SrTiOj, the element has a rather original use in imitation diamonds. It has, in fact, a higher dispersion than diamond and is thus more colorful. Its hardness is, however, much lower, 5.5 compared to 10 on Mohs scale. It is known nsfahulite in the jewelry industry. It has to a large extent been replaced by cubic zirconia CZ, which has higher hardness and better matches the dispersion of diamond. 

Blasse G, Meijerink A, Nomes M, Zuidema J (1994) Unusual Bismuth luminescence in Strontium Tetraborate (SrB407 Bi). J Phys Chem Solid 55 171-174 Bokii G, Bezrykov G, Kliyev Yu et al (1986) Natural and synthetic diamonds. Nauka, Moscow (in Russian)... 

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