ABSTRACT
In compiling a book describing the technical uses of gold, there are a number applications that clearly warrant individual chapters by merit of either the amount of gold used in that application, for example gold bonding wire (Chapter 13), or the complexity of the science underlying the application, such as catalysis (Chapter 6). However, there are also a large number of uses of gold that either do not consume large quantities of the metal or where the science and technology is much better established. A book titled Gold: Science and Applications would not be complete without a brief description of such uses; this following chapter provides a short summary, including some historical applications of gold where the metal no longer nds favor, due either to technology trends or the availability of cheaper materials. History tells us that changes in metal prices or further developments in technology can make seemingly obsolete applications relevant once again.
