For the first time researchers have shown that freestanding
metal membranes consisting of a single layer of atoms can be stable under
ambient conditions. This result of an international research team from Germany,
Poland and Korea is published in Science on March 14, 2014.
Background
The success and promise of atomically thin carbon, in which
carbon atoms are arranged in a honeycomb lattice, also known as graphene has
triggered enormous enthusiasm for other two dimensional materials, for example,
hexagonal boron nitride and molybdenum sulphide.