We’ve all seen an old movie where a burglar breaks into a home or store by cutting a window with a diamond. Thus, we should all know by now that diamonds are tough as hell. Nokia knows this and is putting the valuable gem to good use by developing a casing material similar to that of a diamond. Found in a patent Nokia filed, the casing uses coal and is smooth to the touch. From New Scientist Tech:

“To make the material electric current is fed through coal graphite. This creates plasma, which is directed towards a plastic casing by high-voltage electrodes. The coal ions penetrate the surface and bond to form an amorphous, diamond-like coating less than 100 nanometres thick. The process works at room temperature, meaning even cheap plastics can be coated this way.”

Seems like a surefire hit. Sign me up Nokia, I’m always breaking my gadgets by accident.

Diamond-coated gadgets [New Scientist Tech]