Metal 100,000x Thinner Than Hair

Researchers have successfully developed metal sheets that are only a few atoms thick, introducing a new method for creating 2D sheets of bismuth, gallium, indium, tin, and lead. These sheets are much thinner than a single human hair, as reported in a recent study. Conducted by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Physics, these ultra-thin metal sheets exhibit outstanding electrical conductivity. The study indicates that when metals are thinned to just one or a few atoms in thickness, their properties are dramatically changed due to a phenomenon known as quantum confinement. The properties that emerge from this process have significant potential applications. However, stabilizing these 2D metals at larger sizes, such as micrometers or more, proves challenging, as the atoms tend to revert to their natural 3D structures and are prone to oxidation when exposed to air.

The innovative method introduced by the Chinese researchers utilizes a benchtop hydraulic press to achieve atomic thickness in metals. This low-tech technique allows for the production of stable 2D crystals exceeding dimensions of 100 micrometers, representing a notable advancement over more complex and costly methods. The researchers demonstrated that this technique can be applied to any metal that has a low melting point. While other teams have previously produced atomically thin metals, the Chinese team’s results are distinguished by their ability to create “large-scale, truly 2D metals” compared to earlier approaches. “This is just the beginning,” noted Javier Sanchez-Yamagishi, a physicist at the University of California who specializes in 2D materials. He emphasized that the stability and substantial sizes of these materials pave the way for exciting integrations with other materials and the creation of new electrical or photonic devices. Some experts believe that this achievement could transform the manufacturing of electronic devices, ranging from low-power transistors to advanced chips and highly sensitive detectors. The team produced sheets of five different metals that are only a few atoms thick and measure a few hundred micrometers wide—remarkably large for materials of such thinness. To create these ultrathin metal sheets, the researchers heated a droplet of metal between two sapphire anvils, which were then pressed together as the metal cooled. Due to stronger interactions of MoS2 with metal compared to sapphire, the resulting MoS2–metal–MoS2 sandwich could be extracted from the apparatus much like a panini from a press. Guangyu Zhang, who focuses on nanomaterials at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, and his team successfully created sheets of five different metals, each just a few atoms thick and measuring a couple hundred micrometers wide—a remarkable feat for materials this thin.

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