Borazon

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Borazon, a boron nitride allotrope, is the third hardest artificially produced substance, after aggregated diamond nanorods and ultrahard fullerite respectively. Borazon is a crystal created by heating equal quantities of boron and nitrogen at temperatures greater than 1800 °C (3300 °F) at 7 GPa (1 million lbf/in²). Borazon is the only substance other than those listed above that can scratch a diamond (although lasers can cut diamond). A diamond will also scratch Borazon.

Borazon was first produced in 1957 by Robert H. Wentorf, Jr., a physical chemist for the General Electric Company. In 1969, General Electric adopted the name Borazon as its trademark for the crystal.

[edit] Uses and production

Borazon is used in industrial applications to shape tools, as it can withstand temperatures greater than 2000 °C (3500 °F), much higher than that of a pure diamond at 871 °C (1600 °F). Other uses include jewellery designing, glass cutting and laceration of diamonds.

It was produced by GE Superabrasives, a unit of GE Specialty Materials until the unit was sold to Littlejohn & Co. in December 2003.