Empa, the institution for research into material sciences and technology, has developed a high-tech plasma process for manufacturing yarn with 24 carat gold. A piece of gold is bombarded with fast moving argon ions which knock atoms off the metal surface. These gold atoms land on the polyester fibre, which is then slowly pulled through a machine. The textile material is permanently coated with a durable, nanometre-thin layer of gold. It remains attached to the fibre even when rolled, kinked, woven in a loom and washed.
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