Researchers at Linkinging University have successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil, known as “goldene”, by using a technique borrowed from Japanese ironsmiths. This breakthrough material is just one atom thick and has potential applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production.
The interest in two-dimensional materials stems from their unique properties in optics, electronics, and catalysis. These materials have a high surface area to volume ratio, resulting in different behavior compared to bulk solids. While many examples of 2D materials exist, most are nonmetals or mixed compounds. However, creating a pure metal sheet just one molecule thick is challenging.
The team led by Shun Kashiwaya at Linkinging University was able to separate a layer of gold atoms to create goldene. They achieved this by creating a multi-layer structure of titanium, silicon, and carbon, then coating it with gold. By carefully separating the surrounding solid material using a chemical etching agent, they were able to isolate the goldene layer intact. Adding the amino acid cysteine as a surfactant helped stabilize the layer and prevent clustering of gold atoms.
Goldene’s enhanced reactivity makes it valuable for converting carbon dioxide into fuels like ethanol and methane, as well as producing hydrogen from water. The research team continues to refine the synthesis method to optimize the properties of this groundbreaking material.
In summary, scientists at Linkinging University have successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil using a technique borrowed from Japanese ironsmiths. Goldene has potential applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production due to its unique properties in optics, electronics, and catalysis.
The research on two-dimensional materials is still ongoing due to their importance in various fields such as energy storage and sensing technologies. Scientists continue to explore new ways of creating these materials with unique properties that can be utilized for specific applications.
The creation of goldene represents a significant breakthrough in the field of two-dimensional materials research as it opens up new possibilities for future innovations in energy production and conversion processes.
Overall, this discovery highlights how interdisciplinary research can lead to groundbreaking advancements that can have far-reaching implications on our daily lives.
