Platinum is heavily used in autos... probably the primary demand I think... used in catalytic converters... also in the oil industry in catalytic reforming of straight run naphthas into higher-octane gasoline... also used as a hydrogenation catalyst, specifically for vegetable oils... also strongly catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen gas...
In the laboratory, platinum wire is used for electrodes; platinum pans and supports are used in thermogravimetric analysis because of the stringent requirements of chemical inertness upon heating to high temperatures (~1000°C). Platinum is used as an alloying agent for various metal products, including fine wires, noncorrosive laboratory containers, medical instruments, dental prostheses, electrical contacts, and thermocouples. Platinum-cobalt, an alloy of roughly three parts platinum and one part cobalt, is used to make relatively strong permanent magnets. Platinum-based anodes are used in ships, pipelines, and steel piers.
Seems platinum is quite the industrial/manufacturing metal in specific applications.
Jim
(OK, so I got that 2nd paragraph directly from wiki, but I knew the general info before checking. <g>) |
