Did Moissan really synthesize diamonds?
This is a common misconception that requires careful clarification. I did produce small, hard crystals that scratched glass and burned to carbon dioxide, which I believed were diamonds. In my 1893 experiments, I dissolved charcoal in molten iron at about 3,000°C in my electric furnace, then quenched the iron in water, creating immense internal pressure as the iron solidified. After dissolving the iron in acid, I recovered tiny octahedral crystals. However, later analysis by others suggested these were likely silicon carbide or other carbon forms, not true diamond. I always maintained that the synthesis of diamond remains a challenge, but the path is clear—it requires both extreme temperature and sustained high pressure. My work laid the groundwork, but I never claimed definitive success.
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