Goldene nano-thin Gold
1 molcule thick, like graphene.
Goldene is a proprietary material developed by Avantama AG, a Swiss nanomaterials company, that has gained attention for its role in next-generation display technology — particularly for quantum dot displays, OLED enhancement, and transparent conductors. It is not a naturally occurring substance but a trade name representing a class of gold-based nanomaterials with finely tuned optoelectronic properties.
🔧 OVERVIEW OF GOLDENE
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Material Class | Nanostructured gold (nanosheets or clusters) |
| Key Feature | High conductivity + optical transparency |
| Appearance | Yellow-golden when in thin-film or colloidal form |
| Primary Uses | Display tech (OLED/QLED), solar, sensors, transparent electrodes |
| Manufacturer | Avantama AG (Switzerland) |
| Production Scale | Specialty / nanomaterials industrial scale (lab-to-commercial transition) |
🏭 PRODUCTION METHOD
Goldene is created using wet-chemical nanofabrication and bottom-up synthesis of gold nanostructures. While the exact process is proprietary, these are the generalized steps:
- Precursors: Use of gold salts (e.g. HAuCl₄) as source.
- Reduction: Employ chemical reduction in solution using surfactants, stabilizers, and reducers (e.g. NaBH₄).
- Control of Morphology:
- Specific reaction conditions (pH, temperature, ligand choice) allow tuning between nanoclusters, nanospheres, or nanosheets.
- Purification: Centrifugation and filtration to isolate precise sizes and shapes.
- Stabilization: Coated with organic or inorganic shells (e.g. silica) to maintain stability and dispersion.
Avantama specializes in tailoring these particles to produce thin films with high quantum yield and tunable absorption/emission spectra.
⚙️ TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Parameter | Typical Value / Range |
|---|---|
| Sheet Thickness | 1–3 nm (if nanosheet) |
| Lateral Size | 10–100 nm (sheet) / <2 nm (clusters) |
| Optical Bandgap | Tunable depending on ligand and size |
| Conductivity | Comparable to ITO in thin-film form |
| Transparency | >90% in visible range when applied thinly |
| Thermal Stability | High (suitable for display integration) |
| Work Function | ~5.1–5.3 eV (favorable for charge injection in OLEDs) |
| Solubility | Soluble in polar/nonpolar solvents depending on surface chemistry |
🧪 USE CASES AND APPLICATIONS
- OLED Enhancement:
- Used as a hole injection layer or transparent conductor, replacing indium tin oxide (ITO)
- Increases lifetime, reduces operating voltage
- QLED/Quantum Dot Displays:
- Serves as a quantum dot encapsulant or electrode layer
- Improves color purity and brightness
- Photovoltaics:
- As a plasmonic enhancer or transparent electrode for perovskite or organic solar cells
- Sensors:
- Utilized in plasmonic sensing platforms due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)
- Wearables and Flexible Electronics:
- Due to its flexibility and conductivity in ultrathin films, goldene is suited for flexible displays
🏢 WHO MAKES GOLDENE
- Avantama AG, based in Stäfa, Switzerland, is the sole known commercial source of Goldene.
- They develop custom nanoformulations for the display and photovoltaic industries.
- Avantama focuses on eco-friendly and rare-earth-free materials to replace toxic alternatives.
🌍 WHERE AND HOW IT’S USED COMMERCIALLY
- Display manufacturers in Asia (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China) have incorporated Avantama materials for OLED and QLED panels.
- Notably tested or used in:
- Samsung QD-OLED
- LG OLED panels
- TCL, BOE advanced display R\&D
- Goldene acts as an advanced layer in the display stack — enhancing performance, lifetime, and efficiency.
🧠 COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES
| Feature | Goldene | ITO | Graphene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparency | High (>90%) | High | High |
| Flexibility | Excellent (ultrathin) | Poor (brittle) | Excellent |
| Conductivity | High | High | Moderate |
| Stability | Chemically inert | Stable | Susceptible to oxidation |
| Manufacturing Cost | Medium–High (nano gold) | Medium (indium scarcity rising) | Low–Medium |
⚠️ LIMITATIONS
- Cost: Gold content drives material cost higher than carbon-based alternatives
- Scaling: Though suitable for lab-scale and small industrial use, mass production is still constrained
- Proprietary Process: Limited global know-how outside Avantama
🧩 RELATED TERMS / ALTERNATIVES
- Nanogold / Gold nanosheets – Scientific term; not necessarily Goldene
- Plasmonic materials – Often gold or silver nanostructures
- PEDOT\:PSS, AgNW, MXenes, graphene – Competing transparent conductors
