Project description
Advanced technology for lab-made diamonds
Diamonds represent a rare, luxury and expensive product used by both the high technology and jewellery industry. Diamonds are discovered underground in deep-earth mines, riverbeds and ocean floor. However, mining conditions raise ethical and environmental concerns that affect production. As a consequence, the diamond industry faces scarcity in raw materials. The EU-funded HEPHAESTUS project proposes a unique, environmentally friendly and cost-effective method of growing diamonds in the laboratory. The innovative method consists of placing diamond seeds in plasma chemical vapour deposition that transforms carbon-containing seeds into diamond. This advanced technology is based on a non-equilibrium microwave plasma-activated chemical reaction process that allows the growing of high-quality diamonds, targeting the finest jewellery market.
Objective
Diamonds form deep inside the Earth and they require extensive resources and time to discover. Naturally occurring diamonds can be found through open-pit or underground deep-earth mining or in riverbeds and ocean floor. Diamonds have fantastic properties allowing various tech and high-tech applications in the industry. They can also be used in the luxury business for their beauty, quality, cut and colours. But mined diamonds are a finite resource considering the extreme and rare occurrence of natural surroundings in which it can be formed so that the whole diamond industry now faces depletion of raw materials.
DIAM CONCEPT leverages 30 years of research in the fields of plasma physics at CNRS LSPM related to diamond growth in laboratory. Growing diamonds in lab consists in placing small diamond seeds in highly controlled environment where the diamonds grow layer-by-layer. Plasma enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition is based on high temperature and low-pressure whereby the plasma, generated by excitation of the gases through microwaves activation, leads to transformation of carbon containing species into diamond. DIAM CONCEPT is pushing forward the state of the art so as to be able to grow thick diamonds of the purest form known to man. The technology is based on a non-equilibrium microwave plasma-activated chemical reaction process in a large resonant cavity operating at 915 MHz. This process allows to grow colourless >VS1 Type IIA diamonds and adresses the finest jewellery market. Our diamond will be branded as symbol of modern love by representing the incredible progression of technology.
DIAM CONCEPT ambitions to become a leading manufacturer of lab-grown diamonds for jewelry and we have already settled partnerships with 6 top jewellers that are to be enlarge to 10 top jewellers. On the opposite to mined diamonds, our lab-grown diamonds are ethical, respective of environment, have a low carbon impact (around 80 kg/carat), guarantee of origin and cost-efficient.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy
- engineering and technology materials engineering colors
- natural sciences physical sciences plasma physics
- natural sciences chemical sciences
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
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H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75116 PARIS
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.