Solids: Thermodynamics and Bonding

· The Carbon phase diagram, shown as a (p, T) projection, indicates that two types of hybridized covalent bonds and also metallic bonding can occur for the condensed phases.
· The bonding type that is thermodynamically favored depends upon (p,T).
· Solid state transitions between diamond and graphite are very slow at room temperature because the transition requires a change of bonding type, a high energy process. Diamonds are not forever!