Diamond cubic strong isotropic property. Namely, for any two vertices "x" and "y" of the crystal net, and for any ordering of the edges adjacent to "x" and any ordering of the edges adjacent to "y", there is a net-preserving congruence taking "x" to "y" and each "x"-edge to the similarly ordered "y"-edge. Another (hypothetical) crystal with this property is the Laves graph (also called the K crystal, (10,3)-a, or the diamond twin). The compressive strength and hardness of diamond and various other materials, such as boron nitride, is attributed to the diamond cubic structure. Similarly truss systems that follow the diamond
Crystal twinning Crystal twinning Crystal twinning occurs when two separate crystals share some of the same crystal lattice points in a symmetrical manner. The result is an intergrowth of two separate crystals in a variety of specific configurations. The surface along which the lattice points are shared in twinned crystals is called a composition surface or twin plane. Crystallographers classify twinned crystals by a number of twin laws. These twin laws are specific to the crystal system. The type of twinning can be a diagnostic tool in mineral identification. Twinning is an important mechanism for permanent shape changes in a crystal. Twinning