Palladium

Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare, silvery-white transition metal in the platinum group. Palladium is ductile and malleable, and it has excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation in air. It crystallizes in a face-centered cubic structure.

Palladium occurs in nature with other platinum-group metals, mainly in nickel and copper ore deposits. Major producers include Russia and South Africa, with additional output in North America. Refining concentrates removes palladium from other metals to yield metallic palladium.

William Hyde Wollaston discovered palladium in 1803 while analyzing dissolved platinum ore. He named the element after the asteroid Pallas, discovered two years earlier. The discovery followed his work on the platinum-group elements.

The largest use of palladium is in catalytic converters in automobiles, where palladium catalysts promote the oxidation of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water. Other important applications include hydrogenation and carbon–carbon coupling catalysts in chemical synthesis, electronics plating, white-gold alloys, and dental alloys.

Palladium prices and supply are influenced by demand in automotive, chemical, and electronics industries, as well as mining and geopolitical factors. It is refined from platinum-group metal concentrates and traded on major commodity markets.

Health and safety: palladium metal is relatively low in acute toxicity, but dust and soluble compounds can pose risks if inhaled or ingested. Standard industrial hygiene practices are recommended when handling palladium compounds.