Originally Posted by greazzer

Charcoal + Peanut Butter + Microwave = Diamonds?

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Great teeming masses,

I recently watched a (viral?) video at the URL:
http://revvergoodies.blogspot.com/20...-diamonds.html

It is a promotion for a book entitled "Bling" about the history of hip-hop jewelery. In it, the two authors make diamond-like stones by microwaving peanut-buttered charcoal and then burning off the soot with lighter fluid.

Anyway, I was fascinated by the entire process, and I was told someone here might be able to explain it from a scientific standpoint. What is actually happening here? I know diamonds are formed from coal of course, and that artificial diamonds can be produced from ash/coal in lab settings...but what is actually being formed here? Also, what's with the peanut butter?

Thanks in advance,
Aleatoric