Plenty of motion at the bottom: Atomically thin liquid gold membrane

TL;DR

This paper predicts the existence of an atomically thin, free-standing 2D liquid gold phase using quantum molecular dynamics simulations, revealing new nanoscale phenomena enabled by relativistic effects.

Contribution

It introduces the first prediction of a 2D liquid metal phase, specifically gold, stabilized by relativistic effects, expanding understanding of 2D materials.

Findings

Prediction of a stable 2D liquid gold phase

Demonstration of extreme fluxionality in 2D gold

Highlighting relativistic effects as stabilizing factor

Abstract

The discovery of graphene some ten years ago was the first proof of a free-standing two-dimensional (2D) solid phase. Here, using quantum molecular dynamics simulations of nanoscale gold patches suspended in graphene pores, we predict the existence of an atomically thin, free-standing 2D liquid phase. The liquid phase, enabled by the exceptional planar stability of gold due to relativistic effects, demonstrates extreme fluxionality of metal nanostructures and opens possibilities for a variety of nanoscale phenomena.