NRE Palladium Metal Powder, Grade : Technical, CAS No. : 7440-05-3

Listing ID #4750029

Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and luminous silver-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He called that asteroid Pallas, who in turn received the name of the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired by her when she killed Pallas. Palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium form a group of elements called platinum group metals (PGM). These have similar chemical properties, but palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense one.

More than half of the supply of palladium and its platinum conglomerate is used in catalytic converters, which convert up to 90% of the harmful gases in car exhaust (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide) into fewer harmful substances (nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor). Palladium is also used in electronics, dentistry, medicine, hydrogen purification, chemical applications, groundwater treatment, and jewelry. Palladium is a key component of fuel cells, which react to hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, heat, and water.

The deposits of palladium ore and other PGM are rare. The largest deposits were found in the norite belt of the Bushveld igneous complex covering the Transvaal Basin in South Africa; the Stillwater complex in Montana, United States; the Sudbury Basin and the Thunder Bay district of Ontario, Canada; and the Norilsk complex in Russia. Recycling is also a source, mainly of discarded catalytic converters. The numerous applications and limited sources of supply determine a considerable investment interest.