Diamond Rocket Fuel (was: We're stuck with each other)

From: Michael Ames (michaelroyames@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jan 23 2002 - 13:54:47 MST

"Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience@pobox.com> wrote: 

---
Speaking of which, Robert, are you sure that it's possible to consume
diamond and oxygen as a fuel?
---
When heated to between 800C and 1000C, diamond will comsume some energy and 
change it's structure - becoming graphite, which will then burn just like a 
charcoal briquette.  Therefore, while it would be possible to consume 
diamond and oxygen as fuel, the net energy output would be low, and the 
energy conversion rate would be low also... that is 'low' in comparison to 
other types of rocket-fuel, like hydrogen + oxygen.
... or was this a joke and I just missed it?  %}
Michael Roy Ames
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