Goldene, the world’s thinnest gold foil, has been created by scientists using a 100-year-old technique used by Japanese ironsmiths to separate layers of gold. This breakthrough offers various applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production.
Published in the journal Nature Synthesis, the team’s results demonstrate the unique optical, electronic, and catalytic properties of two-dimensional materials like goldene. These materials have a high surface area relative to volume, making them behave differently from bulk solids. While there have been several examples of 2D materials discovered since graphene in 2004, creating a pure metal sheet just one molecule thick has proven to be more challenging.
The research team led by Shun Kashiwaya at Linköping University in Sweden successfully separated a layer of gold for the first time. They developed a multi-layer structure of titanium, silicon, and carbon, and coated the surface with gold, allowing the gold particles to disperse and replace the silicon layer. By carefully separating the surrounding solid mass using a 100-year-old chemical etching method, they were able to isolate the goldene layer intact.
The researchers further refined their method by experimenting with different reaction conditions and etching solution densities. They discovered that adding the amino acid cysteine as a surfactant helps stabilize the separated layer and prevent gold atoms from forming nanoparticles. The resulting goldene layer is up to 100 nanometers long and significantly thinner than regular gold leaf.
Due to its enhanced chemical reactivity, goldene holds promise for applications in converting carbon dioxide into fuels like ethanol and methane, as well as producing hydrogen from water. The researchers are continuing to optimize their synthesis method for further advancements in this groundbreaking material.
In conclusion, scientists have successfully created world’s thinnest gold foil known as “goldene”. Its unique optical, electronic and catalytic properties make it suitable for various applications such as carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production through its enhanced chemical reactivity.