#SnT What is Goldene? It is a single-atom-thick sheet of | VK IAS- prelims (UPSC highlights)
#SnT
What is Goldene?
It is a single-atom-thick sheet of gold, making it the world's thinnest gold leaf.
Read about graphene here- Click here
Scientists have been trying to make 2D sheets of metals like this for a long time
Sensing different chemicals and substances-Catalysis - speeding up chemical reactions (like splitting water for clean energy).
Why is it significant?- Gold at this thinness has completely new properties, unlike the gold we usually think of.Bulk gold is 3D, with atoms arranged in all directions. Goldene is 2D, where atoms are confined to a single flat sheet. This fundamental difference in structure can dramatically alter its electrical, optical, and chemical behavior-can lead to new electronic properties, potentially making goldene more efficient at conducting electricity or interacting with light in specific ways.
