Everything there is to know about platinum (element)?

Question

ok i need as many facts about platinum as i can before monday.
i am trying to look it all up but its all telling me the same thing and there is nothing interesting at all. i know its more than just a metal, could someone please tell me some other stuff about the element platinum? please?

Answer 1

Start at the reference and do web searches. Your problem will be too much interesting stuff, not too little. It's inert, makes nice jewelry, can be a superb catalyst, is used in potentiometric titration and spark plugs, and much more. Look harder!

Answer 2

I used to use platinum when I worked in R&D in the glass industry. Its one of the few metals which retains its structure when its heated up to 1300 degrees C. So we used to use platinum pots to make glass in - chuck in some sand, soda and lime, cook for 2 hours in a platinum pot at 1300 degrees C, there's your glass.
Trouble is, as you can imagine, these pots cost tens of thousands of pounds - imagine something the size of a large mug. And although when you start in the job, you are somewhat overawed by this, by the end you're there bashing the glass out of them with a hammer!
Although its too expensive to use much at a production scale, I believe its is used to make stirres for the glass.

Similarly, it can be used anywhere you need very high temperature wires.

Its also used in certain chemotherapy drugs for treating cancer.

The major industrial use for platinum these days is in catalytic converters for cars. It is used as a catlyst for converting much of the pollutants coming from the engine, and turning them into harmless gasses before they come out of the exhaust. So very important environmentally.

Answer 3

Go to the library and check out Cotton and Wilkinson - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry 5th edition. (I love this book!)

This is a pretty advanced level book, though, and might be more than you are looking for. It will walk you through the oxidation states and common geometries and spectroscopic and magnetic properties.