Scientists create gold foil with thickness of one atom

For the first time, Swedish scientists from the University of Linkoping managed to create a two—dimensional form of gold - a film with a thickness of one atom. The new material was named golden by analogy with graphene, which is a two-dimensional layer of carbon, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Synthesis (NatSynt). Gold is quite difficult to transform into a two-dimensional form due to its properties. Previous attempts had resulted in either a sheet several atoms thick or a monolayer that could not be separated from other materials.

After several years of experimentation, the researchers found a solution based on an etching solution called Murakami reagent. It is a mixture of chemicals used in metalworking to etch carbon and stain steel. In Japan, it is used to create special patterns on knife blades.

With the help of a reagent, specialists managed to dissolve titanium and carbon, with which gold was given a monoform. The reaction took place in complete darkness, because when exposed to light, potassium ferrocyanide appeared in the solution, which dissolved the gold.

Ordinary gold serves as a good conductor of electricity. In two-dimensional form, the metal acquires the properties of a semiconductor, the conductivity of which can be adjusted. This will allow the use of golden for water purification and in the chemical industry, the researchers noted.