"Evidence suggests these 'diamonds' formed by shock compression of the initial graphite," the team ... the characteristic sharp peak of crystalline cubic diamond, indicating that these had ...

The lab-grown diamond in question is of the hexagonal variety, and was created by heating highly compressed graphite. Using this approach, the team made a millimeter-sized hexagonal diamond that ...

They say the findings also provide a framework for graphite-to-diamond conversion under high pressure and temperature, further opening opportunities for fabricating the material to suit applications.