  We investigate how the insertion of an oxygen atom in an atomically thin gold
nanowire can affect its rupture. We find, using ab initio total energy density
functional theory calculations, that O atoms when inserted in gold nanowires
form not only stable but also very strong bonds, in such a way that they can
extract atoms from a stable tip, serving in this way as a clamp that could be
used to pull a string of gold atoms.
