Hexagonal patterns on the surface of gold crystals are an unfavourable environment for reactions.
29 May 2026
Hexagonal patterns on the surface of gold crystals are an unfavourable environment for reactions.
Gold (front) tends not to oxidize, unlike the more reactive silver (back). Credit: David Gray/Bloomberg Creative/Getty
Atoms on the surface of solid gold spontaneously arrange themselves in ways that prevent oxygen from tarnishing the metal, researchers have found1.
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