Revolutionizing Energy Production: The Creation of the World’s Thinnest Gold Foil, ‘Goldene’

Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil, known as “goldene”, which has numerous applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production. Using a 100-year-old technique used by Japanese ironsmiths to separate layers of gold, the team was able to achieve this breakthrough.

Published in the journal Nature Synthesis, the study 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 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 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.

The creation of this world’s thinnest gold foil opens up new possibilities for various fields such as electronics, optics, catalysis and energy conversion that will undoubtedly impact our future technology advancements.

In conclusion, scientists at Linköping University have successfully created the world’s thinnest gold foil known as “goldene”. This material offers various applications in carbon dioxide conversion and hydrogen production due to its unique optical