A groundbreaking technique developed by Luojun Du and his team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences allows for the production of atomically-thin layers of metals, previously deemed impossible.

Researchers have successfully created large sheets of metals with sub-nanometer thickness and diameters exceeding 0.1 mm, enabling detailed studies of their unique properties.

Experts, including Javier Sanchez-Yamagishi from the University of California, Irvine, emphasize the significance of this development as a foundation for further research into these metal sheets.

This innovative method employs flat sapphire crystals and a layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to compress powdered metals at high temperatures and pressures.

Inspired by traditional copper forging methods, the process utilizes a hydraulic press to create thin metal sheets, achieving remarkable precision.

The technique can produce metal sheets as thin as two atoms, opening up potential applications in industrial chemistry, optics, and computing.

These 2D metals exhibit unique properties that could advance research into quantum phenomena, superconductivity, and the development of ultra-low power transistors and transparent displays.

Previous attempts to create ultrathin metal sheets faced challenges, particularly the tendency of these materials to oxidize when exposed to air.

A challenge remains in removing the MoS2 layer, which could hinder some applications, although initial findings suggest it does not affect the electrical conductivity of the metals.

The properties of these 2D materials differ significantly from bulk materials, with graphene serving as a well-known example of an atomically thin layer of carbon.

Du noted that while the process appears simple, it required new techniques due to the thermodynamic instability of free-standing metal atoms.

This breakthrough was reported in the journal Nature on March 12, 2025, and has been compared to the creation of graphene.