Diamond
- Covalent network solids consist of atoms held together in large networks by covalent bonds
- Covalent bonds are much stronger than intermolecular forces
- This means that covalent solids are much harder and have higher melting points than molecular solids
- Examples of covalent network solids include:
- Silicon
- Germanium
- Silicon dioxide (quartz)
- Silicon carbide
- Two familiar examples of covalent network solids are diamond and graphite
- These are allotropes of carbon
- In diamond, each carbon atom is surrounded by a tetrahedral arrangement of other carbon atoms to form a huge molecule
- These carbon atoms are sp3 hybridized and held together by strong carbon-carbon single covalent bonds
Diamond
Diagram showing the tetrahedral structure of diamond
- Industrial grade diamonds are used as cutting tools because they are very hard
- This is due to the number, strength and directionality of the covalent bonds
- Diamond also has a very high melting point due to its hard, interconnected covalent network structure
- This also makes diamond a good conductor of heat
- However due to a lack of mobile valence electrons, diamond is a poor conductor of electricity