Formation of diamond from the liquid phase of carbon

Results are presented for synthesis of the diamond phase of carbon during detonation of the high-temperature explosive benzotrifuroxan (BTF) – C$_6$N$_6$O$_6$. The detonation products of this nonhydrogenic explosive have a high temperature which initially falls in the region of thermodynamic stability of the liquid phase of carbon. A two-stage synthesis process is proposed: drops of liquid carbon with diameters 0.1–1.0 $\mu$m are formed initially, and these drops subsequently crystallize into the diamond structure. The experimental results given here confirm this hypothesis.