amorphous carbonia

While normally carbon dioxide forms molecular crystals, where individual molecules are bound by Van der Waals forces, in amorphous carbonia a covalently bound three-dimensional network of atoms is formed, in a structure analogous to silicon dioxide or germanium dioxide glass.



e.g. the amorphous

Mixtures of a-carbonia and a-silica may be a prospective very hard and stiff glass material stable at room temperature. Such glass may serve as protective coatings, e.g. in microelectronics.



Amorphous Carbonia by Frederic

The discovery has implications for astrophysics, as interiors of massive planets may contain amorphous solid carbon dioxide.





Jupiter


named amorphous carbonia,


Amorphous Carbonia


dubbed amorphous carbonia.