Meanings
- uncountablechemistryAn allotrope of carbon that is superhard, ferromagnetic and electroconductive.
To make the boron-doped Q-carbon, the researchers coat a substrate with a mixture of amorphous carbon and boron.
2017 July 25, Brian Wang, “New analysis suggests there is five times more water in earth's mantle than in old theory”, in Next Big Future2 more examples
Using laser beams similar to what doctors use for laser eye procedures, the researchers raised and rapidly cooled the temperature of the amorphous carbon, leading to the discovery of the Q-carbon that has a molecular structure stronger than a common crystal.
2015 December 2, ittorio Hernandez, “Newly discovered type of solid carbon creates diamond at room temperature”, in International Business Times AUQ-carbon is ferromagnetic, something no other phase of carbon is known to be, and it even glows when exposed to energy. But, exciting as these things are, the most proximate application for Q-carbon is in back-conversion to more natural carbon crystals: With a simple melting process, Q-carbon can be turned to diamond under forgiving conditions.
2015 December 11, Graham Templeton, “Q-carbon is harder than diamond, incredibly simple to make”, in Extreme Tech
Origin
The "Q" comes from quenched, due to the method of creating Q-carbon, by melting a layer of amorphous carbon atop an appropriate substrate and quickly cooling (quenching) it.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Q-carbon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Q-carbon
“Q-carbon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Q-carbon. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Q-carbon,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Q-carbon.
Source: Q-carbon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.