 Out
of the earth comes a remarkable metal with an unparalleled
combination of chemical and physical properties that
make this metal invaluable to a wide range of everyday applications
essential to our modern life. Thousands of common, everyday
appliances require gold to ensure perfect performance over
a long period of time. This indestructible metal is completely
recyclable and virtually immune to the effects of air, water,
and oxygen. Gold will not tarnish, rust, or corrode. This
unique combination of properties makes gold a vital component
in many medical, industrial, and electrical applications.
These properties include:
To find
out more about the characteristics behind these properties,
visit our TECHNICAL DATA FOR GOLD
page, where you can become familiar with everything from
gold's atomic number to what exactly constitutes a karat.
RESISTANCE
TO CORROSION
Gold is the most non-reactive of all metals. It is benign
in all natural and industrial environments. Gold never reacts
with oxygen (one of the most active elements), which means
it will not rust or tarnish. The gold death-mask in the
tomb of Tutankhamun looked as brilliant when it was unearthed
in 1922 as when it was entombed in 1352 BC.
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ELECTRICAL
CONDUCTIVITY
Gold is among the most electrically conductive of all metals.
Since electricity is essentially the flow of charged particles
in a current, metals that are conductive allow this current
to flow unimpeded. Gold is able to convey even a tiny electrical
current in temperatures varying from -55° to +200°
centigrade. This makes gold a vital component for electrical
connectors in computers and telecommunications equipment.
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DUCTILITY
AND MALLEABILITY
Gold is the most ductile of all metals, allowing it to be
drawn out into tiny wires or threads without breaking. As
a result, a single ounce of gold can be drawn into a wire
five miles long. Gold's malleability is also unparalleled.
It can be shaped or extended into extraordinarily thin sheets.
For example, one ounce of gold can be hammered into a 100
square-foot sheet.
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INFRARED
(HEAT) REFLECTIVITY
Gold is the most reflective and least absorptive material
of infrared (or heat) energy. High purity gold reflects
up to 99% of infrared rays. This makes gold ideal for heat
and radiation reflection, as in life-saving face shields
for astronauts and firefighters.
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THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Gold is also an excellent conductor of thermal energy or
heat. Since many electronic processes create heat, gold
is necessary to transfer heat away from delicate instruments.
For example, a 35% gold alloy is used in the main engine
nozzle of the Space Shuttle, where temperatures can reach
3300° centigrade. Gold alloy is the most tenacious and
long-performing material available for protection at these
temperatures.
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