The use of platinum. Where and how is platinum used?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 18:37

The most expensive of the three precious metals is, of course, platinum. In terms of prevalence in the earth's crust, it is one of the rarest elements. In its pure form, platinum is practically not found and is very expensive. Despite this, the use of platinum in various areas of the national economy is indeed very wide. In some cases, this metal may even be irreplaceable.

Discovery history

All platinum nuggets found to date are alloys of platinum with iridium, palladium, osmium, iron and rhodium. Sometimes compounds of this metal with nickel or copper are also found. Actually, platinum itself in its pure form is a metal of a brilliant white-silver shade. It owes its name to the Spanish conquistador who conquered South America. Outwardly, platinum is very similar to silver, but it is much more infusible. The Spanish conquistadors, who discovered a metal similar to silver in South America, at first simply threw it away. At the same time, the conquerors contemptuously called him platina, which means "silver".

In our countryplatinum was discovered in 1819. Its industrial extraction began five years later. Initially, the use of platinum in Russia was limited mainly to metallurgy. It was used as an additive in the production of high-quality steels. However, in 1828, platinum found another use. Then, by decree of the Tsar, the Russian Mint began minting money from this metal.

In its pure form, platinum was obtained only in 1859 by the chemist Devel. Initially, it was mined in Russia exclusively at the Verkh-Isetsky, Bilimbaevsky and Nevyansk mines. In 1824, other rich deposits were also discovered.

Chemical and physical characteristics

Platinum is a metal belonging to the group of the 6th transitional period of the Mendeleev system. Its main properties are:

• refractory;
• hard volatility;
• ability to crystallize into face-centered cubic lattices.

When hot, platinum is well welded and rolled. Also, this metal can absorb oxygen quite strongly. The table below shows the main characteristics of platinum:

Basic properties of platinum

Characteristic	Parameter
Density	21.45 g/dm3
Melting point	1769 С
Resistivity	9.85 µOhm cm
Hardness	390-420 MPa
Elasticity	173 GPa

The widespread use of platinum in industry, medicine and other sectors of the economy is justified, among other things, by its chemical stability. This metal dissolves only in aqua regia and bromine. When heated, platinum can only react with a small group of substances.

Main uses of platinum

The use of platinum in the jewelry industry is justified primarily by its nobility, rarity and beauty. It was in this way that this metal was mainly used until the middle of the last century. Only a few percent of the total amount of platinum mined was used by physicians and dental prosthetists. Today, the growth in demand for this noble metal is growing steadily. The unique physical and chemical properties of platinum, in addition to jewelry production, make it extremely popular in various areas of industry and the national economy:

• in medicine;
• space industry;
• chemical industry;
• aircraft and shipbuilding;
• in the glass industry;
• in engineering.

This noble metal is also used, of course, in banking.

The use of platinum in the jewelry industry

Of course, the most widelymetal is used to make various kinds of jewelry. About 50 tons of platinum is used annually in the world jewelry industry. A variety of jewelry can be made from this metal. Platinum rings, as well as chains, earrings, bracelets and necklaces, are not only beautiful, but also durable.

The most popular metal in the jewelry industry is the 950th test. This alloy contains 95% platinum itself and 5% iridium. A metal of this composition is distinguished by a high degree of elasticity and hardness. Chains, bracelets and rings made of platinum alloyed with iridium are designed to last as long as possible.

Use in the production of nitric acid and other chemicals

In engineering, platinum is used mainly as a catalyst. It is this metal that is the best oxidizer of ammonia to NO in the production of nitric acid. It is used in this case, usually in the form of a wire mesh with a diameter of 0.05-0.09 mm. In the production of nitric acid, not pure platinum is most often used, but its alloy with rhodium. This makes the catalyst a little cheaper, increases its activity and increases its shelf life.

Platinum is used in the technical industry, of course, not only in the production of nitric acid. Catalysts made from this metal are capable of speeding up many other chemical reactions. Platinum is used, for example, in the hydrogenation of aromatic and technical hydrocarbons, ketones, acetylene, etc. This metal is also used in sulfuric acid production to produce SO₃ orSO_2.

Application in oil refining

In industrial enterprises of this specialization, platinum is actually used quite widely. In this case, it is also used as a catalyst. In oil refining, gasoline is obtained using this metal in special installations. Of course, high quality. In the oil refining industry, platinum is used not in the form of a grid, but in the form of a fine powder. In addition to gasoline, technical hydrogen and aromatic hydrocarbons are also obtained using this metal.

Of course, other catalysts can be used in the oil refining industry - molybdenum, aluminum, etc. However, platinum has such undeniable advantages in comparison with them, such as durability, greater activity and increased efficiency.

The use of platinum in electrical engineering and instrumentation

One of the advantages of this metal is that it has stable electrical and mechanical properties. This made platinum extremely popular in such sectors of the economy as:

• radio engineering;
• electrical engineering;
• automatic;
• precision instrumentation.

The use of platinum in electronics makes it possible to produce high-quality contacts for high-precision devices. In this case, the metal is usually used in an alloy with iridium. Very often, for example, platinum is used to make contacts for resistance furnaces andvarious kinds of network-operated devices. Sometimes an alloy of this metal with cob alt is also used in technology. Such a material is used in the manufacture of magnets, which have a huge attraction force in small sizes.

Application of platinum in the automotive and space industries

In these areas of the national economy, platinum has also found a fairly wide use. In the automotive industry, this metal is most often used as a catalyst in exhaust gas converters. In this case, it is used as a coating in ceramic monoliths.

In the space industry and aircraft construction, this metal is used mainly for the manufacture of fuel cell electrodes. In a similar way, platinum was used, for example, in all the spacecraft of the Apollo series.

Medical use

The use of platinum in this area saves the lives of thousands of patients. The value of this metal in this case lies in the fact that it has no analogues in medicine. For example, special surgical instruments are made from platinum, which can be sterilized in the flame of an alcohol burner. With this treatment, unlike those made from other metals, they do not oxidize.

Platinum, whose use in medicine is, of course, not limited to surgery, can also be used in dentistry, cardiology and hearing aids. Often, for example, it is used as a spray in the manufacture of tools intended fordental treatment. In cardiology and hearing aids, electrodes made from its alloy with iridium are used. They are mainly used to stimulate cardiac activity. They are also often used to make implants for people with hearing loss.

Application of platinum in the glass industry

Platinum is a metal, among other things, widely used in the production of high-quality optics. It is also often used in an alloy with rhodium in the manufacture of glass fiber dies, the thickness of which often does not exceed 1 micron. Such a metal can easily withstand thousands of hours of heating up to 1450 C. Also, an alloy of rhodium and platinum practically does not react to strong temperature changes and is resistant to corrosion.

Among other things, this metal is also very often used in the production of various kinds of equipment designed to make high-quality glass. Such mechanisms are not deformed or oxidized during the production process. They also do not react with the glass itself. Very often in this industry, for example, platinum crucibles are used. It is in them that the widely known and very expensive Czech glass is made.

Chemical Applications

In this case, platinum is also used mainly for the manufacture of crucibles and other laboratory equipment - cups, resistance thermometers, etc. Such products are used mainly in the manufacture of various kinds of ultrapure substances. In semiconductorcrystals should not have, for example, not a single foreign atom per million of its own. It is precisely these results that the use of platinum equipment allows to achieve.

Instead of a conclusion

The use of platinum in the areas discussed above is expedient and justified. But of course, this metal can also be used in other sectors of the national economy. For example, platinum is often used to make crucibles used in the growth of crystals for lasers and contacts in the technique of low currents. It is also used to make compass needle holders, anti-aging cosmetic creams and lotions, anti-cancer drugs, etc.