Gold (Au): Exceptional Ductility, Elasticity, and Alloying Capabilities

Gold (Au) is a reddish-yellow, in very thin films blue-green translucent, cubic crystallizing precious metal. It is one of the heaviest metals, is relatively soft and very elastic. Among all metals, it has the best hot and cold ductility and can be hammered down to foil up to 0.0001 mm thick. Gold, which does not oxidize even at higher temperatures, forms alloys with almost all metals. Even small alloy additions can significantly increase the strength and hardness of gold and change its color (white gold: Pt, Pd, Ni / color gold: Cu). The chemical properties of gold characterize the concept of the precious metal par excellence. Thus, at normal temperature, Au is not attacked by dry and moist air, water, oxygen, fluorine, iodine, sulfur, as well as the vast majority of acids, aqueous salt solutions and alkalis, regardless of the concentration. In the electrical industry (just under 10% of gold consumption), the material gold is used for switching contacts (dry circuits with the smallest currents and voltages), plug contacts, transistor and IC carriers, ultrafine wires for semiconductors and anodes. It is very ductile, corrosion-resistant, oxidation-resistant, has a tendency to cold sweat. Au is machineless and machinable, roll-galvanized galvanic and can be separated from the gas phase.

Properties

General

Mechanical

Thermal

Electrical

Chemical properties