In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Physics have succeeded in synthesizing single-atom-layer metals. Reported in the latest issue of the prestigious academic journal Nature, this discovery marks a significant milestone in 2D material research.
Building on the revolutionary discovery of monolayer graphene in 2004, the realm of two-dimensional materials has expanded dramatically over the past two decades. Despite the challenge posed by strong metallic bonds, the research team pioneered an innovative atomic-scale manufacturing method – the van der Waals squeezing method – to create a diverse array of 2D metals including bismuth, tin, lead, indium, and gallium.
International experts have hailed this work as a major scientific advance. "The thickness of these 2D metals is just one millionth of a piece of A4 paper and one 200,000th of the diameter of a human hair," noted leading scientist Zhang Guangyu, emphasizing the breakthrough by comparing a 3-meter metal cube pressed into a single-atom layer that could cover the entire ground surface of Beijing.
This pioneering achievement fills a crucial gap in the 2D materials family and paves the way for transformative innovations. From ultra-micro low-power transistors and high-frequency devices to transparent displays, ultra-sensitive detection, and highly efficient catalysis, the potential applications of these 2D metals may well spark the next phase of technological evolution.
Reference(s):
Pioneering Chinese scientists shaping future of 2D metal research
cgtn.com
