Stuctures that resemble diamond in a broad sense, strong stiff structures containing dense, three dimensional networks of covalent bonds, formed chiefly from first and second row atoms with a valence of three or more. Many of the most useful diamondoid structures will in fact be rich in tetrahedrally coordinated carbon. [NTN] Materials with superior strength to weight ratio, as much as 100 to 250 times as strong as Titanium, and much lighter. Possibly used to build stronger lighter rockets and space components, or a variety of other earth-bound articles for which weight and strength are a consideration.

Meaning "similar to diamond. Diamondoid has a similar carbon lattice which has been doped with atoms in such a way as to shape or to alter the lattice for some useful purpose. Diamandoid is (like diamond) an exceptional thermal conductor, hard and relatively rigid, not particularly dense (only about 10 times that of air), and has many connection points on its doped carbon lattice for any external constructs.

A diamondoid, in the context of building materials for nanotechnology components, most generally refers to structures that resemble diamond in a broad sense: namely, strong, stiff structures containing dense, 3-D networks of covalent bonds, formed chiefly from first and second row atoms with a valence of three or more. Examples of diamondoid structures would include crystalline diamond, sapphire, and other stiff structures similar to diamond but with various atom substitutions which might include N, O, Si, S, and so forth. Graphite consisting of carbon atoms arranged in planar sheets ("graphene" sheets), carbon nanotubes consisting of sheets of carbon atoms rolled into tubes, spherical buckyballs and other graphene structures are sometimes also included in the class of diamondoid materials for nanotechnology.