Researchers at the Beijing High Pressure Science Research Center led by Li Kuo have for the first time synthesized a structurally stable, carbon-encapsulated single-metal-atom chain with micrometer-scale length and single-atom diameter using a novel high-pressure solid-state topological polymerization technique. Scaled by diameter, the micrometer length is equivalent to about a 4-metre copper wire. The result was published in Science on Aug. 21.

2026-08-21

Researchers at the Beijing High Pressure Science Research Center led by Li Kuo have for the first time synthesized a structurally stable, carbon-encapsulated single-metal-atom chain with micrometer-scale length and single-atom diameter using a novel high-pressure solid-state topological polymerization technique. Scaled by diameter, the micrometer length is equivalent to about a 4-metre copper wire. The result was published in Science on Aug. 21.