A group of scientists created incredibly light 18-carat gold (750th sample) from protein fibers and polymer latex in the laboratory of one of the universities of Switzerland.
To obtain ultralight gold a dispersion is created and is converted into a gel using salt. Then the water is replaced with alcohol, and the resulting gel is placed in a pressure chamber. There is a mixture of alcohol and carbon dioxide under high pressure, which leads to a homogeneous aerogel appearing. The resulting substance is subjected to heat treatment.
The annealing of the polystyrene matrix under vacuum results in a homogeneous microstructure in which shiny gold single-crystal platelets are uniformly embedded in the polystyrene matrix. The resulting element is planned to be used in electronics and jewelry.
News source: https://plastinfo.ru/
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