4 ms·
>> As a consumer I can buy gold leaf for around $10 per square meter. That leaf is probably an order of magnitude (if not two) thinner than your kitchen foil.
by heavenlyblue 7y ago
>> As a consumer I can buy gold leaf for around $10 per square meter.
That leaf is probably an order of magnitude (if not two) thinner than your kitchen foil.
- btilly 7y agoYes. In fact gold leaf is 0.1 microns. Standard aluminum foil is 0.016 mm = 16 microns. So 160 times thinner, or about 2 orders of magnitude. When used to gild buildings in air, it typically lasts 40-50 years. Of course a ship's hull in water is likely to be a much more hostile environment...
- heavenlyblue 7y ago>> When used to gild buildings in air, it typically lasts 40-50 years. Of course a ship's hull in water is likely to be a much more hostile environment... But gilding is a purely ornamental technique. It's not there to defend the lower layers from elements.
- btilly 7y agoThank you for the explanation of WHY it is likely to be a much more hostile environment.