世界上最薄的黄金，只有两个原子那么厚

科学家创造了世界上最薄的黄金，只有两个原子那么厚

Gold that’s just two atoms thick has been created in a lab by British scientists.

英国科学家在实验室里创造了只有两个原子厚度的黄金。

The “world’s thinnest gold” is one million times thinner than a fingernail – and is so thin, it’s technically regarded as “two dimensional.”

“世界上最薄的黄金”比指甲薄一百万倍，而且非常薄，技术上被认为是“二维的”。

The official measurement is 0.47 nanometres, made possible because the gold is made up of just two atoms sitting on top of each other.

官方的测量结果是0.47纳米，这是有可能的，因为黄金是由两个原子相互叠加而成的。

This revolutionary material could be used to create new technology and speed up industrial processes, according to its creators at the University of Leeds.

利兹大学的发明者表示，这种革命性的材料可以用来创造新技术，加快工业进程。

“Gold nanoparticles are used to speed up chemical reactions,” researcher Dr. Sunjie Ye told The Sun.

“金纳米粒子被用来加速化学反应，”研究员叶孙杰博士告诉《太阳报》。

“This ultra-thin gold could be used in new medical devices that test for the early signs of disease or illness. It could also have uses in transforming industrial waste into chemicals that can be reused and in water purification.”

“这种超薄黄金可以用于新的医疗设备，用于检测疾病的早期迹象。它还可以将工业废料转化为可重复使用的化学物质，并用于水的净化。”

Genius researchers revealed how they produced the wonder material in the Advanced Sciences journal.

天才研究人员在《高等科学》杂志上公布了他们是如何制作这种神奇材料的。

The gold “nanosheet” is created inside a watery solution.

黄金“纳米片”是在水状溶液中形成的。

They begin with chloroauric acid, which is an inorganic substance that already contains gold.

首先是氯金酸，这是一种已经含有黄金的无机物。

This is then reduced to its metallic form in the presence of a “confinement agent.”

然后在“约束剂”的存在下将其还原为金属形式。

That’s a term used to describe a chemical that encourages the gold to form as a sheet – just two atoms thick.

这是一个术语，用来描述一种促使黄金形成薄片的化学物质——只有两个原子那么厚。

Because of the gold’s tiny dimensions, it actually appears green in water.

因为黄金的尺寸很小，所以它在水中看起来是绿色的。

And thanks to its strange shape, researchers describe it as “gold nanoseaweed.”

由于其形状奇特，研究人员称其为“金纳米草”。

Enlarge ImageUsing an electron microscope, researchers were able to capture images of how the gold atoms formed into a highly organized lattice.

使用电子显微镜，研究人员能够捕捉到金原子如何形成高度有序晶格的图像。

Its small size means that it’s as many as 10 times more efficient as a catalyst than currently-used gold nanoparticles.

它的小尺寸意味着它作为催化剂的效率是目前使用的金纳米颗粒的10倍。

“Gold is a highly effective catalyst,” said Stephen Evans, of the University of Leeds.

利兹大学的斯蒂芬·埃文斯说：“黄金是一种非常有效的催化剂。”

“Because the nanosheets are so thin, just about every gold atom plays a part in the catalysis. It means the process is highly efficient.”

“由于纳米薄片非常薄，几乎每个金原子都参与了催化。这意味着这个过程非常高效。”

And Ye described the creation as a “landmark achievement.”

叶孙杰博士将这一创造描述为“里程碑式的成就”。

He added: “Not only does it open up the possibility that gold can be used more efficiently in existing technologies, it is providing a route that would allow material scientists to develop other 2D metals.”

他补充称:“这不仅开启了在现有技术中更有效利用黄金的可能性，还为材料科学家开发其他2D金属提供了一条途径。”

“This method could innovate nanomaterial manufacturing.”

“这种方法可以创新纳米材料制造。”