Palladiums

Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare, silvery-white metal in the platinum group of transition metals. Discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, palladium was named after the asteroid Pallas, discovered a year earlier.

Palladium occurs in nature in small quantities, primarily in deposits associated with nickel and platinum. It is recovered as a by-product of nickel refining and of platinum-group metal mining, with major producers including Russia and South Africa. Refining involves separation from other PGMs and purification to high-purity metal.

Chemically, palladium is soft and ductile, with a melting point of about 1,555 °C and a density of 12.0 g/cm3. It resists corrosion in air and forms various oxidation states, most commonly 0 and +2. It readily forms palladium hydride under certain conditions and participates in many catalytic reactions.

Palladium is best known for its catalytic properties. It catalyzes hydrogenation and oxidation reactions and is central to numerous carbon–carbon cross-coupling processes, such as the Suzuki, Heck, and Sonogashira reactions. It is widely used in catalytic converters for automobiles, as well as in electronics, dentistry, jewelry, and hydrogen storage research.

Market dynamics for palladium are influenced by demand for catalysts and auto catalysts, with prices prone to volatility. Reuse and recycling from spent catalysts and electronic waste are important sources. Handling of palladium compounds requires standard industrial hygiene controls.