The narrator discusses an experiment they conducted to create a carbonated beverage using diamonds. They first learned about the historical experiment of burning diamonds to produce carbon dioxide gas, and how this gas can be used to carbonate water. However, they found that the diamond-produced carbon dioxide was not sufficient to carbonate any more water. Despite this, they decided to keep a small amount of the diamond-produced carbon dioxide gas as a souvenir.
1. The narrator's brother introduced him to an interesting chemistry experiment involving a diamond, oxygen, and sunlight. The experiment demonstrated that a diamond, nearly pure carbon, could be burned and combined with oxygen to form CO2 gas .
2. The narrator's brother found the fact that diamonds could be burned surprising, as diamonds were commonly thought of as nearly indestructible .
3. The narrator decided to replicate the experiment to create what he called the "most expensive carbonated water in the world" .
4. The narrator purchased large, high-carat diamonds from eBay for around $200 .
5. The narrator initially tried to burn the diamonds using a blowtorch and oxygen, but the glass rod he used melted, leading to a failure .
6. The narrator then tried again with a quartz tube and metal components. After a few minutes, all the diamond eventually disappeared .
7. The narrator used liquid nitrogen to freeze the CO2 gas and turn it into dry ice .
8. The narrator built a pressure chamber to carbonate water using the dry ice and a kitchen soda maker .
9. The narrator used a 316 stainless steel pressure chamber rated at 3000 psi .
10. The narrator modified a SodaStream machine to connect it to the pressure chamber .
11. The narrator burned the diamonds in a quartz tube, producing CO2 gas and unreacted oxygen .
12. The narrator collected the dry ice and unreacted oxygen separately .
13. The narrator loaded the dry ice into the pressure chamber and slowly increased the pressure to around 800 psi .
14. After about an hour, the dry ice turned back into CO2 gas .
15. The narrator then attached the pressure chamber to the SodaStream and carbonated water using the CO2 gas .
16. The narrator was able to make diamond water, but the process took a lot of time and effort .