Palladium is a shiny, silvery-white metal that resists corrosion and belongs to the platinum group of metals. It has a variety of uses in different industries, including:
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Automotive Industry: More than half of the supply of palladium is used in catalytic converters for cars, which convert harmful gases in automobile exhaust into nontoxic substances.
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Electronics Industry: Palladium is used in the electronics industry in ceramic capacitors, found in laptop computers and mobile phones. It is also used to coat the electrodes of multilayer ceramic capacitors.
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Jewelry Industry: Palladium is used in jewelry, particularly in alloys called "white gold".
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Dentistry: Palladium is used in some dental fillings, crowns, and instruments.
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Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Palladium is used as a catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells, which are used to power cars and buses.
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Chemical Applications: Finely divided palladium is a good catalyst and is used for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. Hydrogen easily diffuses through heated palladium and this provides a way of separating and purifying the gas.
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Investment: Palladium is a commodity that has drawn the attention of investors because it is not easily substituted for other metals. It is one of the four metals that have ISO currency codes, the others being gold, silver, and platinum.
Palladium is a versatile element with a fascinating history, and its low toxicity means that it can have a variety of uses.
