Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes02:46

Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes

Tetrahedral Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Valence Bond Theory02:42

Valence Bond Theory

Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
Network Covalent Solids02:18

Network Covalent Solids

Network covalent solids contain a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms as found in the crystal structures of nonmetals like diamond, graphite, silicon, and some covalent compounds, such as silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (carborundum, the abrasive on sandpaper). Many minerals have networks of covalent bonds.
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
MO Theory and Covalent Bonding02:40

MO Theory and Covalent Bonding

The molecular orbital theory describes the distribution of electrons in molecules in a manner similar to the distribution of electrons in atomic orbitals. The region of space in which a valence electron in a molecule is likely to be found is called a molecular orbital. Mathematically, the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) generates molecular orbitals. Combinations of in-phase atomic orbital wave functions result in regions with a high probability of electron density, while...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Overcoming the Catalytic Bucket Effect in Pt-based High-Entropy Nanocages Through Interface Defect and Strain Engineering.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

Free-Anionic Duality of Interstitial Electrons Drives Superconductivity in Electride La<sub>3</sub>In.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Identification of Sn<sub>5</sub> Active Site on SnO<sub>2</sub>(110) for CO<sub>2</sub> Electroreduction via Constant-Potential Method and Microkinetic Modeling.

JACS Au·2026
Same author

Hydrogen-carbon doubly superionic conduits of carbonic acids in planetary ices.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Mechanically Adaptive Dense Multiscale Silicon-Carbon Architectures for Stable High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

A 3D hollow structure composed of 2D nanosheets arranged in an ordered orthogonal manner for chlorpyrifos detection.

Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Probe Type II Band Alignment in One-Dimensional Van Der Waals Heterostructures Using First-Principles Calculations
13:56

Probe Type II Band Alignment in One-Dimensional Van Der Waals Heterostructures Using First-Principles Calculations

Published on: October 12, 2019

Density functional theory study of hexagonal carbon phases.

Zhibin Wang1, Faming Gao, Na Li

  • 1Department of Applied Chemistry, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, People's Republic of China.

Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal
|August 10, 2011
PubMed
Summary

New hexagonal carbon phases show superhard properties, potentially harder than diamond. Their unique bond strengths may explain experimental observations of indentation marks on diamond anvils.

More Related Videos

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene
08:44

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene

Published on: August 22, 2017

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction
09:13

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

Published on: April 1, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Probe Type II Band Alignment in One-Dimensional Van Der Waals Heterostructures Using First-Principles Calculations
13:56

Probe Type II Band Alignment in One-Dimensional Van Der Waals Heterostructures Using First-Principles Calculations

Published on: October 12, 2019

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene
08:44

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene

Published on: August 22, 2017

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction
09:13

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

Published on: April 1, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Solid State Physics
  • Computational Chemistry

Background:

  • Recent reports suggest novel carbon phases may surpass diamond's hardness.
  • The underlying mechanisms for this potential superhardness remain largely unexplained.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically investigate the structural, electronic, and mechanical properties of diamond polytypes.
  • To evaluate the hardness of hexagonal carbon phases and compare them to diamond.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing first-principles density functional calculations to model material properties.
  • Employing a semiempirical method based on Mulliken overlap population to assess hardness.

Main Results:

  • Hexagonal diamond polytypes exhibit bulk and shear moduli comparable to diamond.
  • Calculated hardness indicates these hexagonal phases are superhard.
  • Specific bond directions in hexagonal phases are stronger than those in diamond.

Conclusions:

  • Hexagonal carbon phases possess superhard characteristics and low compressibility.
  • The exceptional bond strength in certain directions of hexagonal phases likely causes indentation on diamond anvils during high-pressure experiments.