Physical and chemical characteristics:
- Latin name Palladium (Pd);
- chemical element of Group VIII in Mendeleev's Periodic Table;
- Atomic number 46;
- Atomic Weight 106.42;
- Density 12.02 g/cm³
- Melting point 1,554°C
Palladium is a metal of a silvery-white colour, flexible and malleable, easily rolled into foil and stretched into a fine wire. In the air, it does not oxidize at normal temperatures, and is resistant to damp environments. When heated to 860 º C, it will oxidize, but on further heating, the oxide dissolves and the metal becomes light. As for its chemical properties, palladium is inferior to all the other metals of the platinum group, it dissolves in nitric acid, in heated sulphuric acid, and also in aqua regia.
The main sources of palladium are crude platinum and waste from nickel production.
History:
In Greek mythology, Palladium was the name given to a small wooden statue of the goddess Athena. The metal itself was named after Pallas, one of the largest asteroids (583km in diameter) which was discovered in 1802. Palladium was discovered by the British scientist William Hyde-Woollaston (1803) in crude platinum, and specifically in the part that dissolves in aqua regia.
The main geological reserves of this metal are in Russia, but it is also produced in Canada, the United States and South Africa.
Uses:
The main use of palladium is in electronics (particularly in means of mobile communications) and in laminated palladium condensators to be used in catalytic converters. In alloy with other metals it is used in the manufacture of chemistry equipment, and in dentistry. Palladium alloys are also used in jewellery and the metal itself can be part of white gold alloys. Types of palladium produced by Norilsk Nickel
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