Does hydrogen gas react with solid gold?

[Xhaiden]

I'm wondering if I was to make a gold nano-coated ballon and filled it with hydrogen would the gold contain it or breakdown?

[Previous Community Member]

Gold is one of the most inert metals and it does not react with hydrogen gas.  That said, I am not sure what the permeability of hydrogen through gold is.  I suspect it would be pretty low.

[WayneCook]

The polymer used for the balloon will likely determine the rate of hydrogen loss.  Latex balloons do not retain hydrogen very well.  Mylar balloons are a lot less permeable...

[Previous Community Member]

Why do you think the polymer would determine the rate of hydrogen loss?  I would think it would be a lowest permeability coating which would determine that.

Just like the it is the aluminum coating that gives mylar it's much reduced permeability to gases, I would think that if latex rubber could be successfully coated with gold (or another metal), it too would have low permeability to hydrogen, helium and other gases.