A team of scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has recently turned cheap copper into a material that is almost identical to gold. The material is expected to reduce the use of rare, expensive metals in factories.
Scientists developed this material by shooting a copper target with a jet of hot, electrically charged argon gas. The fast-moving ionized particles blasted copper atoms off the target. The atoms cooled down and condensed on the surface of a collecting device, producing a thin layer of sand.
Scientists then put the material in the reaction chamber to turn as a catalyst to turn coal to alcohol to check the efficiency of the material. Only precious metal can effectively handle this chemical process.
Professor Sun Jian at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics said, “The copper nanoparticles achieved catalytic performance extremely similar to that of gold or silver. The results … proved that after processing, metal copper can transform from ‘chicken’ to ‘phoenix’.”
Although, this new material can’t be used to make fake gold. The reality- its density will remain the same as like as ordinary copper. But the process behind developing the material could provide a significant boost for Chinese industries.
Scientists noted, “This new method can inject a large amount of energy into copper atoms and made the electrons more dense and stable. Moreover, it can resist high temperatures, oxidization, and erosion.”
“It is like a warrior with golden armor in a battlefield, capable of withstanding any enemy assault.”
The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on Saturday.