Carbent

Carbent is a theoretical allotrope of carbon that has been proposed as a potential high‑density energy storage medium. According to the proposed models, carbent would consist of a highly ordered lattice of covalently bonded carbon atoms with an extended π‑electron system, giving it an unusually high surface area and electronic conductivity. In contrast to diamond and graphite, carbent is predicted to have a density comparable to liquid methane but with the stability of solid carbon, allowing it to store energy in the form of electron density rather than nuclear reactions.

The concept of carbent emerged from research in nanostructured carbon materials, particularly from studies of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Standards and Technology independently suggested that a rearrangement of carbon bonds could produce a crystalline phase that maximises packing density while retaining delocalised electrons. Preliminary simulations indicate that carbent could release energy by shifting electrons from a metastable state to a lower‑energy configuration, potentially powering small electronic devices or serving as a high‑capacity battery material.

Despite encouraging theoretical results, carbent has not yet been synthesized in the laboratory. Experimental challenges include controlling the high pressures and temperatures needed to achieve the proposed crystal structure and preventing rapid decomposition of the delocalised electron system. Current efforts focus on computational modeling and exploring precursor materials such as diamond‑like carbon and mesoporous graphene. If successful, carbent could offer a new pathway for clean energy storage, though its viability for large‑scale applications remains uncertain.