Friday, 4. July 2008, 11:15:48
The other day I happened to chance upon an platinized platinum anode in an electrolytic cell and started pondering about the exotic uses of this $2,032 per ounce metal. Platinum is one heckuva useful metal and find a whole variety of applications. A little thought got me compiling this list.
Oh, by the way, if you are wondering, platinized platinum is basically blackened platinum.
FIVE STRANGEST PLACES TO FIND PLATINUM 1. In your car exhaust.
Platinum honeycomb patterns are fitted at the end of all modern car exhausts. Platinum is and excellent catalyst and can oxidise toxic exhaust fumes like carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide(s) to oxygen and nitrogen.
2. In crucibles.
Platinum and its Rhodium alloys can withstand for high temperatures used for the melting of glass and ceramic glazing.
3. In space shuttles and 'green' cars.
The fuel cells use Platinum as a catalyst. Without the powdered platinum (imagine powdering Platinum!) the cell reaction would be unsustainable.
4. At the photo-shop.
Archival prints are made with platinum based inks. (normal prints are made using silver compounds) As opposed to silver platinum is more inert and hence less likely to oxidise, thus making for longer lasting prints. Plus platinum prints have exhibit better contrast.
Note: Imm speaking of traditional prints not digital ones. Digital archival prints are made using fused toner particles or electrostatic inks. Look in
here for more.
5. In furnaces.
Platinum thermocouples, generally called 's type' thermos, are used to monitor the high temperatures of a furnace, because needless to say, mercury would vaporize at those temperatures.
Apart from these five,
* Platinum finds regular uses in the chemistry lab for 'flame tests' and for use in electrolytic cells.
* Plates which are used to repair broken bones are made of a Platinum-Iridium alloy.
* Platinum improves the data storage capacity of hard disks and today, all hard disks contain platinum in their magnetic layers.
* The ^tiny^ electrical contacts INSIDE you processor (or any Integrated Circuit, or 'chip')are made of platinum-palladium.
* Most gas sensors utilize a 'hot-wire' transducer or a 'Pirani Gauge'. Needless to say the "hot-wire" is made of Platinum!
* Platinum is used to catalyse the manufacture of Nylon-66, which inturn is used to make everything from fishing lines, to clothes, to bullet proof vests [Kevlar is a tradename].
* Contacts or jacks in professional audio equipment are made of platinum to reduce the signal to noise ratio.
With that, my knowledge of chemistry exhausts so I will stem the list here and shut up.
Shame to waste such an usefull metal on a ring isnt it? No.....You dont think so?....I thought so!
People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.
-A. J. Liebling
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