Diamond Crystal and Wallonium variant

thingiverse

The Diamond Cubic Crystal Structure is a repeating pattern of eight atoms that certain materials may adopt as they solidify. But the object has more than eight atoms because some atoms are shared among adjacent crystal units, counting as fractions. When composed of two different atom types, the resulting crystal is called "blende," similar to Sphalerite Zn and S. For further information on this subject, consult Wikipedia's description at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_cubic. The Diamond Cubic Crystal Structure also serves as a model for the artistic artefact known as Wallonium, with its top five atoms colored in black. Visit http://wallonium.be to learn more about building your own Wallonium from this crystal. This structure can be printed in two different ways: 1) Print the object in two halves with some support. Then print the same piece twice because of its symmetry, remove the support and finally glue the pieces together. 2) Alternatively, print individual components that are easy to assemble: spheres with four connectors (four needed - two black for Wallonium), spheres with two connectors (six needed - one black for Wallonium), spheres with one connector (four needed - two black for Wallonium), and 16 connecting tubes suggested in white. Design notes include a base provided by replacing one sphere with two connectors and two spheres with one connector. All spheres are designed to be assembled from two parts, eliminating the need for support. Design credits go to @7dricCedric for this creation.