A team of researchers at Linköping University in Sweden has successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil, known as “goldene,” which has various applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production. The scientists used a 100-year-old technique used by Japanese ironsmiths to separate layers of gold in order to achieve this breakthrough.
The study, published in the journal Nature Synthesis, demonstrates 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.
Shun Kashiwaya and his colleagues at Linköping University developed a multi-layer structure of titanium, silicon, and carbon, and coated the surface with gold. 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 research team 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 summary, scientists have successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil that offers various applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production through using a 100-year-old technique used by Japanese ironsmiths to separate layers of gold