Diamond is the hardest substance and the best conductor of heat yet characterized. For these reasons, it is used widely in industrial applications that require a strong abrasive. Unfortunately, it is difficult to synthesize diamond from a more readily available allotropes of carbon, such as graphite. To illustrate this point, calculate the pressure required to convert graphite into diamond at 25o celsius. The following data apply to 25o and 100 kPa. Assume the specific volume, Vs, and KT are constant with respect to pressure changes.
graphite Diamond
?fGo (kJ/ mol): 0 +2.8678
Vs (cm3/g): 0.444 0.284
KT (kPa): 3.04 x 10-8 0.187 x 10-8