Platinum

Platinum is a dense, lustrous, silver-white precious metal with extraordinary corrosion resistance. It is at the heart of catalytic converters in every petrol and diesel car, the electrode material in fuel cells, and a symbol of extreme value in culture, "going platinum" in music means achieving maximum commercial success.

  • Atomic Number7878 protons, 78 electrons
  • Atomic Mass195.08 u78× heavier than hydrogen
  • State at Room TempSolidSolid
  • Density21.46 g/cm³
  • Melting / Boiling1768.4°C / 3824.8°C
  • Discovered1735

What is Platinum?

Platinum is a transition metal in Group 10 below palladium. With 78 protons, it is rare, dense (21.45 g/cm³) and extremely resistant to corrosion and high temperatures. Its most common oxidation states are +2 and +4. Named from the Spanish platina meaning little silver, Spanish conquistadors found it in Colombia and considered it an inferior silver.

Named platina (little silver) by Spanish conquistadors in Colombia in the 16th century. Julius Caesar Scaliger described a mysterious metal from Mexico and Central America in 1557. Scientific study began in the 1740s.

Fact Cisplatin: the platinum cancer drug, was discovered accidentally in 1965 by Barnett Rosenberg, who was studying the effect of electric currents on bacterial growth. He noticed that bacteria near platinum electrodes stopped dividing. The cause was a platinum compound, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), that had dissolved from the electrode and was interfering with DNA replication. It became one of the most widely used cancer treatments in history.

Where you find Platinum

On Earth

South Africa (Bushveld complex) produces approx. 75% of world platinum. Russia (Norilsk) is the second largest producer.

How we use Platinum

  • Catalytic converters, platinum oxidises CO and unburned hydrocarbons.. Catalytic converters
  • Platinum electrodes in fuel cells allow hydrogen to react with oxygen to generate electricity cleanly.. Fuel cells
  • Jewellery, platinum's rarity, white colour and resistance to tarnish make it the premier precious metal for fine jewellery.. Jewellery
  • Cisplatin (Pt-based anticancer drug) is one of the most widely used chemotherapy agents.. Cancer medicine
Did you know? Cisplatin: the platinum cancer drug, was discovered accidentally in 1965 by Barnett Rosenberg, who was studying the effect of electric currents on bacterial growth. He noticed that bacteria near platinum electrodes stopped dividing. The cause was a platinum compound, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), that had dissolved from the electrode and was interfering with DNA replication. It became one of the most widely used cancer treatments in history.

How it was discovered

Named platina (little silver) by Spanish conquistadors in Colombia in the 16th century. Julius Caesar Scaliger described a mysterious metal from Mexico and Central America in 1557. Scientific study began in the 1740s.

Deeper dive: platinum properties and applications

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Moving to 79 protons on the periodic table takes us to the next element.