Diamond and Related Materials
Carbonintheformofdiamondisthestuofdreams,andtheimageofdiamondevokesdeepemotionsinhumans.
The manyremarkablepropertiesof diamond,in partbeauseitis theatomiallydensestmaterial in theuniverse
(diamondisthehardestmaterialanditsthermalondutivityisvetimeslargerthanthatofopper),anbeused
in severalappliations. Followingthesuessfulsynthesisofdiamondbyhigh-pressure/high-temperaturemethods
in the mid 1950s, in the last deade there was an explosive growth in the synthesis of diamondlms and their
industrial appliations, providing the experimental basis for the understanding of the proesses of synthesis and
theirorrelationswithphysialproperties. Today,almostalldiamondsusedinindustryaresynthesized. Attheend
of thelast deade,A. Y.LiuandM.Cohen(Siene245,(1989)841)proposed thatahypothetialnewmaterial,
C
3 N
4
,ouldbeharderthandiamond. ItwasonetheopportunitiesinMaterialsSienethatatheoretialwork
motivatedsolargeexperimentaleorts. Despitethefatthatalearevidenefortheexisteneofthismaterialhad
notbeenpublishedyet,severalremarkablegoalswereahieved. Ananexample,todaytheprotetiveoatingsused
forhardmagnetidisksareamorphousarbonnitridelmsdevelopedin thelastfewyears.
ThisissueoftheBrazilianJournalofPhysisassessestheurrentstateoftheresearhonDiamondandRelated
Materials. In this last ategory, materials with properties similar to those of diamonds an be found, as
ubi-boron nitride, arbonnitrides, amorphousarbonlms, et. Wetriedto provideanoverview ofdierent aspets
of thishallengingareaofresearh inMaterials Siene. Theartilesareupdate approahesto theorresponding
speialties,andweexpetthat theywillhelp tostimulatethesientiativityintheeld.
FernandoLazaroFreire Jr.
DepartamentodeFsia,PUC-Rio
CaixaPostal38071
22452-970,RiodeJaneiro,RJ,Brazil
Jo~aoAlziroHerz daJornada
InstitutodeFsia,UFRGS
CaixaPostal15051
91500-970,PortoAlegre,RS, Brazil
SergiodeSouzaCamargoJr.
EngenhariaMetalurgiaedeMateriais,COPPE-UFRJ
CaixaPostal68505
