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Platinum - Pt

CAS: 7440-06-4
Description: Silver-white metal
Classification: Transition Metal
Date of Discovery: 1735
Discoverer: Ulloa / Wood
Name Origin: Spanish platina, "little silver"

Atomic Number: 78
Number of Neutrons: 117
Atomic Mass:
Melting Point:
Boiling Point:
Density (293 K): 21.45 g/cm3
Atomic volume: 9.10 cm3/mol
Electrical resistivity: 0.0966 10-6/cm Ohm Symbol
Thermal conductivity: 0.716 W/cmK
Enthalpy of atomization: 565 kJ/mol (est.)
Enthalpy of vaporization: 510.0 kJ/mol
Enthalpy of fusion: 19.60 kJ/mol
Specific heat capacity: 0.13 J/gK
Energy levels: 2-8-18-32-17-1
Electron configuration: [Xe]4f 145d96s1
Crystal Structure: Cubic face centered
Atomic radius: 1.83 Å
Covalent radius: 1.30 Å
Oxidation States: +1(?), +2, +3, +4
Electronegativity, Pauling: 2.28
Electron affinity: 2.128 eV
First ionization energy: 9.0 eV
2nd ionization energy: 18.563 eV
3rd ionization energy:
Polarizability: 6.5 10-24cm3
Isotope Natural Abundance Atomic Mass Half-life Decay Mode Spin
168Pt 167.9880 alpha symbol
169Pt 168.9864 3 ms alpha symbol
170Pt 169.9816 6 ms alpha symbol
171Pt 170.9811 0.03 s alpha symbol
172Pt 171.97730 0.10 s alpha symbol 0+
173Pt 172.9765 0.34 Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol 0+
174Pt 173.97281 0.89 s Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol 0+
175Pt 174.9723 2.5 s Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol
176Pt 175.9690 6.3 s Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol 0+
177Pt 176.9685 11 s EC; alpha symbol
178Pt 177.9649 21 s EC; alpha symbol 0+
179Pt 178.9653 33 s Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol
180Pt 179.9632 52 s Beta Symbol+, EC; alpha symbol 0+
181Pt 180.9632 51 s Beta Symbol+, EC
182Pt 181.9613 2.7 m Beta Symbol+, EC 0+
183mPt 43 s Beta Symbol+; IT (7/2-)
183Pt 182.9617 7 m Beta Symbol+, EC
184Pt 183.9599 17.3 m Beta Symbol+, EC
185mPt 33 m Beta Symbol+, EC 1/2-
185Pt 184.9607 1.18 h Beta Symbol+, EC (9/2+)
186Pt 185.95943 2.0 h Beta Symbol+, EC 0+
187Pt 186.9607 2.35 h Beta Symbol+, EC 3/2
188Pt 187.95940 10.2 d EC 0+
189Pt 188.96083 10.9 h Beta Symbol+, EC
190Pt 0.01(1) 189.95993 6.5 x 1011 y 0+
191Pt 190.961684 2.96 d EC (3/2-)
192Pt 0.79(6) 191.961035 Stable 0+
193mPt 4.33 d IT 13/2+
193Pt 192.962984 60 y EC (1/2-)
194Pt 32.9(6) 193.962663 Stable 0+
195mPt 4.02 d IT 13/2+
195Pt 33.8 194.964774 Stable 1/2-
196Pt 25.3(6) 195.964934 Stable 0+
197mPt 1.590 h IT; Beta Symbol- 13/2+
197Pt 196.967323 18.3 h Beta Symbol- 1/2-
198Pt 7.2(2) 197.967875 Stable 0+
199mPt 13.6 s IT 13/2+
199Pt 198.970576 30.8 m Beta Symbol- (5/2-)
200Pt 199.97142 12,5 h Beta Symbol- 0+
201Pt 200.9745 2.5 m Beta Symbol- (5/2-)
202Pt 1.8 d
Discovered in South America by Ulloa in 1735 and by Wood in 1741. The metal was used by pre-Columbian Indians. Platinum occurs native, accompanied by small quantities of iridium, osmium, palladium, ruthenium, and rhodium, all belonging to the same group of metals. These are found in the alluvial deposits of the Ural mountains, of Columbia, and of certain western American states. Sperrylite (PtAs2), occurring with the nickel-bearing deposits of Sudbury, Ontario, is the source of a considerable amount of metal. The large production of nickel offsets there being only one part of the platinum metals in two million parts of ore. Platinum is a beautiful silvery-white metal, when pure, and is malleable and ductile. It has a coefficient of expansion almost equal to that of soda-lime-silica glass, and is therefore used to make sealed electrodes in glass systems. The metal does not oxidize in air at any temperature, but is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulfur, and caustic alkalis. It is insoluble in hydrochloric and nitric acid, but dissolves when they are mixed as aqua regia, forming chloroplatinic acid (H2PtCl6), an important compound. Natural platinum contains six isotopes, one of which, 190Pt, is radioactive with a long half-life. Thirty- five other radioactive isotopes and isomers are recognized. The metal is extensively used in jewelry, wire, and vessels for laboratory use, and in many valuable instruments including thermocouple elements. It is also used for electrical contacts, corrosion-resistant apparatus, and in dentistry. Platinum-cobalt alloys have magnetic properties. One such alloy made of 76.7% Pt and 23.3% Co, by weight, is an extremely powerful magnet that offers a B-H (max) almost twice that of Alnico V. Platinum resistance wires are used for constructing high-temperature electric furnaces. The metal is used for coating missile nose cones, jet engine fuel nozzles, etc., which must perform reliably for long periods of time at high temperatures. The metal, like palladium, absorbs large volumes, of hydrogen, retaining it at ordinary temperatures but giving it up at red heat. In the finely divided state platinum is an excellent catalyst, having long been used in the contact process for producing sulfuric acid. It is also used as a catalyst in cracking petroleum products. There is also much current interest in the use of platinum as a catalyst in fuel cells and in its use as antipollution devices for automobiles. Platinum anodes are extensively used in cathodic protection systems for large ships and ocean-going vessels, pipelines, steel piers, etc. Pure platinum wire will glow red hot when placed in the vapor of methyl alcohol. It acts here as a catalyst, converting the alcohol to formaldehyde. This phenomenon has been used commercially to produce cigarette lighters and hand warmers. Hydrogen and oxygen explode in the presence of platinum.
LINKS:

European emission standards to boost precious metals use
Heatin' with Hydrogen
Native Platinum
PLATINUM technology - News


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Sources for the information on this website include:
Lide, David R., ed. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 78th Ed., 1997-1998.