Iridium 'loses its identity' when interfaced with nickel

Hey, physicists and materials scientists: You'd better reevaluate your work if you study iridium-based materials -- members of the platinum family -- when they are ultra-thin. Iridium 'loses its identity' and its electrons act oddly in an ultra-thin film when interfaced with nickel-based layers, which have an unexpectedly strong impact on iridium ions.