Your diamonds look great shimmering against your skin, but if you often find yourself wondering if your should throw away all your income on a pleasurable bottle of tequila or on a new diamond ring, then let me make that decision for you. Why choose either one when you can have the best of both worlds?

Scientists have discovered a way of making diamonds out of tequila. Tequila Blanco’s 40% alcohol and 60% water proportion is the ideal compound to creating diamond. The hydrogen-oxygen-carbon ratio of alcohol in tequila strangely lies within the ‘diamond growth region’. When tequila was heated to 280 degree Celsius, it transformed into a gas which was then be broken down into its molecular form in a reaction chamber. This resulted in solid diamond crystal of spherical shape and 100-400 nanometric size.

The hard and heat-resistant final result of diamonds could be used for cutting tools, high-power semiconductors, radiation detectors and optical-electronic devices. The scientists hope to begin industrial-scale applications by 2011 which would also include doped diamonds that contain impurities and could serve as semiconductors. The only question is whether people would think of this as a great discover or a great waste of their favourite drink!

Via: PhysOrg