Unlocking the secrets of Zwischgold

12-Oct-2022

To gild sculptures in the late Middle Ages, artists often applied ultra-thin gold foil supported by a silver base layer. For the first time, scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have managed to produce nanoscale 3D images of this material, known as Zwischgold. The pictures show this was ...

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"This apparent magic is essentially a simple electrochemical process"

25-Aug-2022

Throughout history, alchemists believed in the existence of the philosopher’s stone: a substance that could turn cheap substances into precious gold. Now scientists from The University of Manchester, Tsinghua University in China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have shown that graphene can be ...

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08-Aug-2022

C60 molecules on a gold substrate appear more complex than their graphene counterparts, but have much more ordinary electronic properties. This is now shown by measurements with ARPES at BESSY II and detailed calculations. Graphene consists of carbon atoms that crosslink in a plane to form a flat ...

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A novel Raman chemical sensor made from noodlelike threads of gold

27-Jun-2022

Researchers created a special ultrathin sensor, spun from gold, that can be attached directly to the skin without irritation or discomfort. The sensor can measure different biomarkers or substances to perform on-body chemical analysis. It works using a technique called Raman spectroscopy, where ...

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Completely new options for the usually extremely difficult handling of nano- and micro-objects

25-Apr-2022

Propelling micrometre-sized drones using light only and exerting precise control: Physicists at the University of Würzburg have succeeded at this for the first time. Their microdrones are significantly smaller than red blood cells. A hand-held laser pointer produces no noticeable recoil forces ...

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Opportunities for a "new" chemistry

20-Apr-2022

Chemical syntheses in liquids and gases take place in three-dimensional space. Random collisions between molecules have to result in something new in an extremely short time. But there is another way: on a gold surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, molecules lying still next to each other ...

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“We thought if two metals were producing good results, then perhaps three metals would be even better”

18-Mar-2022

Chemists have developed a nano-scale structure that combines copper, gold and silver to work as a superior catalyst in a chemical reaction whose improved performance will be essential if carbon capture and utilization efforts are to succeed in helping to mitigate global warming. In the face of ...

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New insights into element synthesis in the universe

17-Nov-2021

How are chemical elements produced in our Universe? Where do heavy elements like gold and uranium come from? Using computer simulations, a research team from the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, together with colleagues from Belgium and Japan, shows that the synthesis ...

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New chloride-based process recovers 84% of gold compared to the 64% recovered with traditional methods

06-Oct-2021

Gold is one of the world’s most popular metals. Malleable,conductiveand non-corrosive, it’s used in jewelry, electronics, and even space exploration. But traditional gold production typically involves a famous toxin, cyanide, which has been banned for industrial use in several countries. The ...

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Electrochromic Inorganic Nanostructures with High Chromaticity and Superior Brightness

13-Jul-2021

Imagine sitting out in the sun, reading a digital screen as thin as paper, but seeing the same image quality as if you were indoors. Thanks to research from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, it could soon be a reality. A new type of reflective screen - sometimes described as 'electronic ...

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