DE102020211259A1 - Method of making gemstones from carbon from human or animal remains - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for producing a gemstone (38) containing carbon from human or animal remains, the gemstone (38) being made from an intermediate product (26) containing carbon dioxide (14) and/or anions of carbonic acid having. The intermediate product (26) is produced from carbon dioxide (14) recovered by carbonizing the remains, the remains being burned prior to or during the recovery of the carbon dioxide (14).

Description

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to a method for producing a gemstone from a dead body of a living being, the gemstone comprising carbon from the dead body. The invention further relates to a gemstone made by this method.

Such methods are known from the prior art.

In the US20030017932A1 discloses a cremation process of a cadaver in which the body is placed in the furnace such that the head and chest are not positioned directly below the main burner. This causes the extracted carbon to remain in the head area of the cadaver. With a pressure of 30 to 500 Torr and a high temperature of up to 3000°C, the carbon in the corpse is converted into graphite.

Even after the teaching of US2004154528A and JP2005507843A a corpse is cremated and the resulting carbon is filtered at a similar temperature and pressure, with the high temperature converting the carbon into graphite.

In the CN205102127U Temperature sensors are used to control the air supply to obtain a desired amount of carbon during combustion at temperatures between 1000°C and 1500°C. Diamonds are produced from the carbon using a high-pressure, high-temperature process or chemical vapor deposition.

From the CN107879339A discloses a process for obtaining carbon from organic matter obtained in a combustion process of the organic matter at an excess air coefficient of between 0.60 and 0.95, the carbon being filtered from the air with filters. Graphite powder is then produced from the carbon at sufficiently high temperatures of over 1000°C.

In the US20040031434A1 discloses a method of carbon recovery from cadaver cremation in which soft tissue is burned in a metal box without the addition of oxygen to recover carbon. The oxidation of carbon to carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide is avoided.

A pyrolysis of organic tissue between heating elements in a vacuum chamber is also used in the W02004105540A1 used. Mixing of carbon from the corpse with carbon from fuels for cremation of the corpse is prevented with this method.

According to the teaching of ES2258921B2 keratin-containing tissue, for example hair, is heated in a muffle furnace without the introduction of air until it chars, elemental carbon being obtained chemically from the charred tissue.

The use of strong acids, for example sulfuric acid, is proposed to obtain the carbon. From the US20080282733A1 a method is known in which hydrocarbons are obtained by fermentation of tissue containing keratin. The hydrocarbons are used in a vapor deposition process to produce diamond.

According to the teaching of US2006239895A1 and JP2006321232A Gases are obtained by heating a protein solution to form gas bubbles, the proteins being derived from the ashes of burned bones. The resulting gas and hydrogen are fed into a chemical vapor deposition chamber, and diamond-like layers are formed in the chamber.

With the known methods, however, the quantity and the purity of the carbon obtained for the production of the gemstones is comparatively small.

object of the invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing gemstones from carbon from human or animal remains while increasing the amount and purity of the carbon recovered from the remains and controlling the composition of the gemstones. It is also the object of the invention to provide a gem made by such a method.

Brief description of the invention

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a gemstone according to claim 15 . Advantageous refinements result from the respective subclaims which refer back to it.

1. a. Verbrennen des toten Körpers zu Asche;
2. b. Gewinnung von Kohlenstoffdioxid
   1. i. aus Kohlenstoff aus der Asche und/oder
   2. ii. während des Verbrennens aus Kohlenstoff aus dem toten Körper;
3. c. Erzeugen eines Zwischenprodukts aus dem Kohlenstoffdioxid, wobei das Zwischenprodukt Kohlenstoffdioxid und/oder Carbonat-Anionen aufweist;
4. d. Erzeugen von elementarem Kohlenstoff aus dem Zwischenprodukt;
5. e. Erzeugen des Schmucksteins aus dem elementaren Kohlenstoff.

The method according to the invention has the following steps:

1. a. burning the dead body to ashes;
2. b. extraction of carbon dioxide
   1. i. from carbon from the ash and/or
   2. ii. during the burning of carbon from the dead body;
3. c. generating an intermediate from the carbon dioxide, the intermediate comprising carbon dioxide and/or carbonate anions;
4. i.e. generating elemental carbon from the intermediate product;
5. e. Creating the gemstone from the elemental carbon.

In the context of the invention, carbon dioxide is processed, the carbon for obtaining the carbon dioxide being derived from the dead body. The carbon can also be obtained from hair, fur, plants, clothing, or other carbon-containing materials. During cremation of the dead body, typically at temperatures of 870°C to 1000°C, much of the carbon exits the body in the form of carbon dioxide, making the carbon dioxide a rich source for the body's carbon recovery. Advantageously, the carbon dioxide can be converted into a liquid or, preferably, a solid intermediate in a comparatively simple manner. Thus, the intermediate product can be stored and processed relatively easily. The intermediate product produced from the carbon dioxide can be converted into elemental carbon in comparatively few steps. Organic impurities do not affect the recovery of the elemental carbon in the process of the invention. The degree of purity of the carbon obtained is comparatively high. The high degree of purity of the carbon makes it possible to create gemstones with a well-controlled composition.

In the context of the application, the term “elemental carbon” is in particular synonymous with the term “pure carbon”. The term gemstone refers, inter alia, to diamonds and to decorative layered structures, particularly diamond-like layered structures. The term ash specifically refers to the residue from the incineration of organic materials, especially the dead body. The ash mainly contains inorganic minerals and to a lesser extent organic materials and carbon. In particular, the carbonate anions have the molecular formula CO ₃ and are singly or doubly charged.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

An advantageous embodiment of the method is characterized in that in method step b) the dead body and/or the ash is supplied with oxygen, the carbon in the dead body and/or the ash reacting with the oxygen. In one embodiment, the carbon is oxidized to form carbon dioxide, with the dead body being burned. In particular, the carbon comes from the bones of the dead body. When the body is in a coffin, it is preferable to first burn the coffin to ashes using commonly used gaseous or liquid fuels, such as oils, natural gases and/or propane. The length of time necessary for burning the coffin is preferably determined experimentally beforehand. The supply of fuel for cremation of the coffin is terminated after this period of time. The ash from the cremation of the coffin is preferably removed. This ensures that only carbon from the dead body is used in the further process.

Before an alternative or additional supply of oxygen to the ash, the ash is preferably sieved and/or ground in order to obtain a particularly fine powder from the ash and to ensure a uniform supply of oxygen. The ash can be stored on plates, in rotating containers or in fluidized beds, among other things. The carbon in the dead body and/or ashes reacts with the oxygen according to the reaction equation: C ₊ O2 → _CO2

A further development of this embodiment is characterized in that the oxygen is supplied in the form of a plasma and/or in a plasma reaction. Preferably, the oxygen flows from a plasma torch to the corpse and/or ashes. As a result, the combustion is carried out in a targeted manner in terms of time and location. Alternatively, the ash is placed in a plasma chamber into which the oxygen is fed. The plasma chamber is then heated to convert the oxygen into a plasmatic state. The ash is preferably mixed with porcelain and/or aluminum oxide balls, which ensure better mixing of the oxygen with the ash during the plasma reaction. A plasma reaction is understood in particular to mean that one or more reactants are present in the plasmatic state during the reaction. Feeding is preferably terminated when a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide and/or carbonates has been recovered, see below.

A preferred embodiment of the method is characterized in that the carbon dioxide is generated in method step b) by burning the dead body with a carbon-free fuel. This ensures that only carbon from the dead body remains in the ashes.

A further development of this embodiment is characterized in that the fuel contains ammonia and/or hydrogen. Ammonia and/or hydrogen, inter alia, can be used together with oxygen to incinerate the dead body.

In an alternative embodiment of the method, the carbon dioxide is produced in method step b) by adding hydrochloric acid to the ash, with which the carbon in the ash reacts to form carbon dioxide, the carbon being provided in particular from calcium carbonate in burnt bones of the dead body. In this embodiment, the ash can first be stored and the carbon dioxide produced at a later point in time. The treatment with hydrochloric acid removes inorganic minerals from the ash and thus concentrates the ash. Preferably, before adding the hydrochloric acid, magnetic metals are separated from the ash. Water is preferably first added to the ash, which is mixed with the ash using a magnetic stirrer, for example. Then, in one or more steps, hydrochloric acid is added to the ash, which is mixed with the ash by stirring. Further preferably, the mixture is brought to a boil and/or brought to temperatures between 100°C and 300°C in order to recover the carbon dioxide. In particular, the carbon is obtained from burned bones after the reaction: CaCO ₃ + 2HCl → CaCl ₂ + CO ₂ + H ₂ O

The above-mentioned embodiments of the process, in which the ash is oxidized to recover carbon dioxide or treated with hydrochloric acid, can also be carried out in series to increase the amount of carbon dioxide recovered. For example, the ash can first be treated with hydrochloric acid, with sediments of the ash then being filtered out of the resulting solution in order to obtain further carbon dioxide in a combustion process with oxygen according to the aforementioned embodiments.

The carbon dioxide is collected and stored in particular in molecular sieves. Among other things, the carbon dioxide can be thermally dissolved from the molecular sieve for further use. In particular, the molecular sieve has a zeolite.

The intermediate product in process step c) is preferably produced in the form of a carbonate, with an alkaline lye being added to the carbon dioxide and with the carbon dioxide reacting with the alkaline lye to form the carbonate. In addition, the intermediate has in particular hydroxycarbonates comprising (OH) ^- - anions and (CO ₃ ) ^2- - anions and/or bicarbonates comprising (HCO ₃ ) ^- - anions. In particular, the carbon dioxide is passed through a gas absorption column in which the carbon dioxide reacts with an alkaline liquor. A carbonate is produced from the carbon dioxide.

A further development of this embodiment is characterized in that sodium hydroxide solution is supplied to the carbon dioxide, with the carbon dioxide reacting with the sodium hydroxide solution to form sodium carbonate. This reaction also produces water. The sodium carbonate is in solid form and is comparatively easy to handle. The associated reaction equation is: 2NaOH + CO ₂ → Na ₂ CO ₃ + H ₂ O

An alternative embodiment provides that the intermediate product is produced in method step c) in the form of dry ice, with the carbon dioxide being frozen to form the dry ice. The carbon dioxide can be converted directly, without further reactions, into a solid form by freezing at below -78°C for better storage and handling.

In order to produce the elemental carbon in process step d), an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or an earth metal, with which the intermediate product reacts, is advantageously added to the intermediate product with heating. In this embodiment, one or more substances comprising an element from the first to third main groups of the periodic table of the elements are fed to the intermediate product in one or more reaction steps. In particular, an intermediate product comprising a carbonate is converted into a reaction product which has a carbonate anion and the supplied elements from main groups 1 to 3.

In a further development of this embodiment, magnesium is added to the intermediate product. Preferably, water and magnesium are added to the intermediate in the form of magnesium sulfate. In an embodiment where the intermediate is in the form of sodium carbonate, the intermediate reacts with the magnesium sulfate to form magnesium carbonate and sodium sulphate fat. The magnesium carbonate is in solid form and settles out as sediment. The associated reaction equation is: Na ₂ CO ₃ + MgSO ₄ → MgCO ₃ ↓ + Na ₂ SO ₄

Magnesium is also added to the magnesium carbonate, in particular in the form of a powder. Magnesium carbonate and magnesium are preferably mixed in a ratio of 1 to 0.7. After thermal excitation by heating, preferably to 700° C. or more, for example in a steel cylinder for about 90 minutes, the magnesium carbonate reacts to form elemental carbon and magnesium oxide. The associated reaction equation is: MgCO ₃ + 2Mg → C + 3MgO

In embodiments in which the intermediate product contains carbon dioxide and is present in particular as dry ice, the carbon dioxide in the intermediate product reacts with the supplied magnesium to form elemental carbon and magnesium oxide according to the reaction equation: CO ₂ + 2Mg → C + 2MgO

In one embodiment of the method, hydrochloric acid is added to the mixture of carbon and magnesium oxide, in particular with stirring for thorough mixing. The resulting magnesium chloride is preferably then filtered out using distilled water. The carbon remains in the filter and is dried after filtering. In a further process, synthetic diamonds can be produced from the carbon.

A preferred embodiment of the method is characterized in that a hydrocarbon-containing gas is produced to produce the gemstone from the elementary carbon in method step e), the hydrocarbon-containing gas being deposited in a chemical vapor deposition, in particular a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The hydrocarbon-containing gas has in particular an alkane or alkyne. By means of chemical vapor deposition, crystalline diamond-like layers are deposited on a substrate from a gas mixture, the gas mixture containing the hydrocarbon-containing gas and other gases required for the vapor deposition. The gas mixture is activated thermally, with a laser or, in the case of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, by igniting a plasma, so that the respective reactions for vapor deposition take place on the surface of the substrate.

A further development of this embodiment is characterized in that, in order to produce the gemstone, molecular hydrogen is added to the elemental carbon, which hydrogen reacts with the elemental carbon to form methane. The associated reaction equation is: C + _2H2 → _CH4

Alternatively, the methane can also be obtained by reactions with metallic elements, e.g.: 4AI + 3C → Al ₄ C ₃ and Al ₄ C ₃ + 12H ₂ O → 3CH ₄ + 4Al(OH) ₃

The methane is separated in a chemical vapor deposition. For chemical vapor deposition, hydrogen gas is activated by being broken down into reactive radicals either thermally or by plasma ignition. Carbon is deposited on a substrate from a mixture of hydrogen radicals and methane and forms diamond-like layers. Argon can be used as an alternative to hydrogen.

An alternative development of the embodiment using gas phase deposition is characterized in that, to produce the gemstone, calcium is added to the elemental carbon, which reacts with the elemental carbon to form calcium carbide, and then water is added to the calcium carbide, with which the calcium carbide reacts to form ethyne, wherein the ethyne is deposited in a chemical vapor deposition. The reaction equations for the formation of ethyne are: Ca + 2C → CaC ₂ and CaC ₂ + 2H ₂ O → C ₂ H ₂ + Ca(OH) ₂

Ethine is characterized as a gas with a high carbon content, making it particularly suitable for the formation of diamond-like carbon layers. Like the methane mentioned in the previous development, the ethyne can be mixed with hydrogen or inert gas, in particular argon, to carry out a chemical vapor deposition.

As an alternative to chemical vapor deposition, graphite can first be produced from the carbon. The graphite can then be are pressed into diamonds using a high-pressure, high-temperature process at a pressure in the range of several tens of thousands of bars and temperatures of over 1500°C.

A gemstone according to the invention, comprising carbon from a dead body of a living being, is characterized by being produced by a method according to one of the preceding embodiments. Such a gem can be made from particularly pure carbon and the composition of the gem can be controlled particularly well.

Further advantages of the invention result from the description and the drawing. Likewise, the features mentioned above and those detailed below can each be used individually or collectively in any combination. The embodiments shown and described are not to be understood as an exhaustive list, but rather have an exemplary character for the description of the invention.

character list

• 1 shows schematically a process for obtaining elemental carbon;
• 2 shows schematically a method for producing a gemstone from the elemental carbon;
• 3 shows an overview of the 1 and 2 occurring chemical reactions.

In 1 A method 100 for generating elemental carbon from human or animal remains is schematically illustrated. First, a dead body 10 of a human or animal is provided. In a first method step 102, the dead body 10 is burned with carbon-free fuel 12, such as ammonia 13 or hydrogen 40, in particular with the supply of oxygen. As a result, carbon dioxide 14 is obtained exclusively with carbon from the dead body 10 during the combustion. In an alternative embodiment, the first method step includes two partial steps 102 ^(I) , 102 ^(II) . In the first sub-step 102 ^(I) , the dead body 10 is burned to ash 16, the ash 16 having in particular calcium carbonate 17 in burned bones. In the second sub-step 102 ^(II) , the ash 16 is supplied with hydrochloric acid 18 . The hydrochloric acid 18 reacts with the calcium carbonate 17 in the burned bones in the ashes 16 in a chemical reaction CR1 (cf. 3 ) to carbon dioxide 14, along with calcium chloride and water. In a further alternative embodiment 102 ^(III) of the first method step, the ash 16 is supplied with oxygen 20, the oxygen 20 reacting with the carbon in the ash 16 in a chemical reaction CR2 (cf. 3 ) reacts to form carbon dioxide 14, in particular in a plasma reaction.

A second method step for the further processing of the carbon dioxide 14 comprises, in a first embodiment 104, the supply of alkaline lyes 22 to the carbon dioxide 14 in order to obtain the carbon in a fixed, bound form. Sodium hydroxide solution 24, for example, is suitable for this. Then, in a chemical reaction CR3, the carbon dioxide 14 reacts with the sodium hydroxide solution 24 to form sodium carbonate 25a and water. The sodium carbonate 25a forms an intermediate 26 in a solid state, which in this embodiment has carbonate ions 25b. A gas absorption column is preferably used for the supply of the alkaline liquor 22 . In a second embodiment 104 ^(I) of the second method step, the carbon dioxide 14 is frozen into dry ice 28, which also forms an intermediate product 26 in a solid state.

In a third process step 106, to obtain elemental carbon 32, substances with elements 30 from the first to third main groups of the periodic table (alkaline metals: AM, alkaline earth metals: EAM, earth metals: EM) are added to the intermediate product 26 in one or more sub-steps, with which the Intermediate 26 to form elemental carbon 32 reacts. In particular, magnesium 34 is added to the intermediate product, for example in bound form as magnesium sulfate 36. In the embodiment in which the intermediate product is present as sodium carbonate 25, the sodium carbonate 25 reacts with the magnesium sulfate 36 after heating in a chemical reaction CR4 to form solid magnesium carbonate and sodium sulfate . The magnesium carbonate settles out as sediment. Magnesium, in particular as a powder, is then added to the magnesium carbonate, with which the magnesium carbonate reacts after heating in a chemical reaction CR5 to form elemental carbon 32 and magnesium oxide. In the embodiment in which the intermediate product 26 is present as dry ice 28, the intermediate product 26 is supplied with magnesium, in particular as a powder, with which the intermediate product 26 reacts after heating in a chemical reaction CR11 to form elemental carbon 32 and magnesium oxide.

A gemstone 38 is then produced from the elementary carbon 32, as shown schematically in FIG 2 is shown. To produce the gem 38, the elemental carbon 32 is in a first embodiment 108 of a four ten process step in a high-pressure high-temperature process at a pressure in the range of several tens of thousands of bar and temperatures above 1500 ° C pressed to a gemstone 38 in the form of a synthetic diamond. In an alternative configuration 108 ^(I) of the fourth method step, hydrogen 40 is supplied to the elemental carbon 32 . The carbon 32 reacts in a chemical reaction CR6 with the hydrogen 40 to form a hydrocarbon-containing gas 42 in the form of methane 44. The hydrocarbon-containing gas 42, in particular the methane 44, is used to produce diamond-like layers DLC by deposition on a substrate in chemical vapor deposition (CVD ) or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). For this purpose, among other things, hydrocarbon-containing gas 42, in particular methane 44, can be mixed with hydrogen 40 and the gas mixture can be activated by plasma ignition. In a second embodiment of the fourth method step, aluminum 49 is supplied to the elemental carbon 32 in a first partial step 108 ^(II) , with which the carbon 32 reacts in a chemical reaction CR7 to form aluminum carbide 48 . In a second partial step 108 ^(III) , water 50 is fed to the aluminum carbide 48, with which the aluminum carbide 48 reacts in a chemical reaction CR8 to form methane 44. In a further alternative embodiment of the fourth method step, calcium 52 is supplied to elemental carbon 32 in a first partial step 108 ^(IV) , with which calcium 32 reacts in a chemical reaction CR9 to form calcium carbide 54 . In a second partial step 108 ^(V) , water 50 is supplied to the calcium carbide 54, with which the calcium carbide 54 reacts in a chemical reaction CR10 to form ethyne 46 and calcium hydroxide. Diamond-like layers are obtained from the ethyne 46 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) onto a substrate.

Taking all the figures of the drawing together, the invention relates to a method for producing a gemstone 38 comprising carbon from human or animal remains, the gemstone 38 being produced from an intermediate product 26 comprising carbon dioxide 14 and/or anions of carbonic acid. The intermediate product 26 is produced from carbon dioxide 14 that is recovered by carbonizing the remains, the remains being burned prior to or during the recovery of the carbon dioxide 14 .

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US20030017932A1 [0003]
• US2004154528A [0004]
• JP2005507843A [0004]
• CN 205102127 U [0005]
• CN 107879339A [0006]
• US20040031434A1 [0007]
• WO 2004105540 A1 [0008]
• ES 2258921 B2 [0009]
• US20080282733A1 [0010]
• US2006239895A1 [0011]
• JP2006321232A [0011]

Claims (15)

A method (100) for producing a gemstone (38) from a corpse (10) of a living being, the gemstone (38) comprising carbon from the corpse (10), comprising the steps of: a. burning the dead body (10) to ashes (16); b. Carbon Dioxide Extraction (14) i. from carbon from the ashes (16) and/or ii. during burning of carbon from the dead body (10); c. generating an intermediate product (26) from the carbon dioxide (14), the intermediate product (26) comprising carbon dioxide (14) and/or carbonate anions (25b); i.e. generating elemental carbon (32) from the intermediate product (26); e. Creating the gemstone (38) from the elemental carbon (32). procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that in method step b) the ash (16) oxygen (20) is supplied, wherein the carbon in the ash (16) reacts with the oxygen (20). procedure after claim 2 , characterized in that the oxygen (20) is supplied in the form of a plasma and/or in a plasma reaction. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carbon dioxide (14) in method step b) is generated by burning the dead body (10) with a carbon-free fuel (12). procedure after claim 4 , characterized in that the fuel (12) comprises ammonia (13) and/or hydrogen (40). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carbon dioxide (14) is produced in method step b) by the ash (16) being supplied with hydrochloric acid (18) with which the carbon in the ash (16) is converted to carbon dioxide (14 ) reacts, the carbon being provided in particular from calcium carbonate (17) in burned bones of the dead body (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate product (26) in method step c) is produced in the form of a carbonate, with the carbon dioxide (14) being supplied with an alkaline lye (22) and with the carbon dioxide (14) being mixed with the alkaline lye (22) reacts to the carbonate. procedure after claim 7 , characterized in that the carbon dioxide is supplied with caustic soda (24), the carbon dioxide (14) reacting with the caustic soda (24) to form sodium carbonate (25a). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate product (26) is produced in method step c) in the form of dry ice (28), the carbon dioxide (14) being frozen to form the dry ice (28). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in order to produce the elementary carbon (32) in method step d) the intermediate product (26) is fed with heating an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or an earth metal (30) with which the intermediate product ( 26) responded. procedure after claim 10 , characterized in that magnesium (34) is supplied to the intermediate product (26). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in order to produce the gemstone (38) from the elementary carbon (32) in method step e), a hydrocarbon-containing gas (42) is produced, the hydrocarbon-containing gas (42) in a chemical vapor deposition ( CVD), in particular a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), is deposited. procedure after claim 12 , characterized in that to produce the gemstone (38) the elementary carbon (32) molecular hydrogen (40) is supplied, which reacts with the elementary carbon (32) to form methane (44), the methane (44) in a chemical Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is deposited. procedure after claim 12 , characterized in that to produce the gemstone (38), calcium (52) is added to the elementary carbon (32), which reacts with the elementary carbon (32) to form calcium carbide (54), and then the calcium carbide (54) is given water (50 ) is supplied, with which the calcium carbide (54) reacts to form ethyne (46), the ethyne (46) being deposited in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Gem stone (38) containing carbon from a dead body (10) of a living being, characterized by production according to a method according to any one of Claims 1 until 14 .

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