Stable Films A Single Molecule Thick

A film having a thickness of a single molecule: That is the material that the PTB scientists, together with colleagues from Bielefeld and Heidelberg, were – as the first and the only ones so far - able to fabricate and whose characteristics and applications they now want to study within the scope of a joint project which is funded by the Volkswagen-Stiftung(Volkswagen Foundation).

Their “nanoleaves“ – they are only one to two nanometers thick – are based on crosslinked, self-organising layers which, after fabrication, can be detached from the support and are – in spite of the slight thickness – stable (freestanding). To research the characteristics of this new material – unique solely due to its “thinness“ – already promises fascinating results from a fundamental research perspective. However, in addition, the scientists also have their sights on highly practical applications. Thus the nanoleaves could be used in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, as highly sensitive gas sensors, or also as electrically conductive nanolayers