# How strong would a diamond window be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324 "2004-12-11T17:13:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/1 "2004-12-11T17:13:04Z")
Let’s assume there is some phenominal breakthrough in the creation of artifical diamonds allowing the creation of flawless diamonds in arbitrary sizes and shapes. If you were to make a window out of a single solid diamond, how well would it hold up to impacts and bullets as compared to current bulletproof glass? I know it would be harder and more scratch-resistant than pretty much anything else. But I seem to recall hearing that diamonds could shatter or chip pretty easily. Would a diamond window, shot with a window, shatter? ---
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/2 "2004-12-11T17:36:34Z")
Not an answer to the question, but [here](http://www.debid.co.uk/printpage00d4.html?pageid=4006040&print=1) is a company the makes Diamond Optical Windows (albeit small ones), and here are the [these](http://www.debid.co.uk/page92d0.html?pageid=400604040) are the specs. I couldn’t find specs on bullet proof glass as to the hardness or tensile strength, as I’m guessing there are multiple formulas… ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/3 "2004-12-11T17:47:38Z")
Diamonds may be hard to scratch but you can take a hammer to it and shatter them easily since they are so brittle. My WAG: more resistant to breakage than glass, but not by as much as you’d think. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/4 "2004-12-11T18:16:24Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > Let’s assume there is some phenominal breakthrough in the creation of artifical diamonds allowing the creation of flawless diamonds in arbitrary sizes and shapes. If you were to make a window out of a single solid diamond, how well would it hold up to impacts and bullets as compared to current bulletproof glass? Most bullet resistant glass is actually polycarbonate, or methyl methramacrylate plastic, not glass. A large diamond window would likely shatter. > [@](#): > > Would a diamond window, shot with a window, shatter? WHAT ? How do you do? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/5 "2004-12-11T20:39:09Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Most bullet resistant glass is actually polycarbonate, or methyl methramacrylate plastic, not glass. Do you mean methyl methacrylate? ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/6 "2004-12-11T21:45:53Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Would a diamond window, shot with a window, shatter? > > WHAT ? How do you do? I assume he meant “shot with a bullet” ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/7 "2004-12-11T22:38:14Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > I assume he meant “shot with a bullet” That is NOT what he wrote in OP. (Just a WAG) > [@Joe Mahma](#): > > Do you mean methyl methacrylate? :smack: Why of course, my built-in dictionary and tangled fingers are to blame! ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/8 "2004-12-11T23:55:14Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > WHAT ? How do you do? Argh. Posting before coffee. That was supposed to be “shot with a bullet”, not “shot with a window”. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/9 "2004-12-12T00:13:51Z")
On the other hand, shooting something with a window would make for one heck of an interesting spectacle 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/10 "2004-12-12T02:11:16Z")
I just _know_ there’s a phaser-cutting phaser joke waiting to be made here. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/11 "2004-12-12T14:36:59Z")
About 10 years ago I sat through a physics seminar by someone whose research involved being able to lay down thin, very regular crystals over large areas. At some point the US military had been eager for them to investigate the possibilities of diamond coating fighter aircraft cockpit windows. The problem the idea ran into was exactly that suggested above - such a window actually isn’t particularly strong at resisting impacts - and so the project was abandoned. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strong-would-a-diamond-window-be/279324/12 "2004-12-12T14:45:38Z")
Imagine the kind of damage you could do with a shard of a shattered diamond windowpane, though. Which, incidentally, is another very good reason why windows _shouldn’t_ be made of diamond.