Why is platinum used as a catalyst

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Skip to Content. Shiny shell: When a four-nanometer platinum-copper alloy nanoparticle top is exposed to a cyclic alternating current, copper atoms separate from the surface, creating a shell rich in platinum, which images more brightly bottom under a scanning transmission electron microscope. Keep Reading. Most Popular. By Clive Thompson archive page. By Will Douglas Heaven archive page. By Cat Ferguson archive page. Sep 16, Jul 18, Lonely atoms, happily reunited Jul 26, Jun 28, Apr 28, Recommended for you.

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I would like to subscribe to Science X Newsletter. Learn more. Your name. Amazingly, at these higher loadings we are able to maintain relatively high platinum surface areas, thus only moderately reducing the available active surface area of the platinum.

For this new catalyst series the tap density continues to more closely resemble that of the uncatalyzed carbon. Tap density is often used as a general indicator of the quality of electrode formation, whereby the greater carbon character foretells of a well dispersed electrode layer.

It is also used as a recombination catalyst for hydrogen elimination. Ask Question. Asked 6 years, 3 months ago. Active 3 years, 8 months ago. Viewed 15k times. Improve this question. Just the same group, the coinage metals, transition state elements? Where did you get the idea from that these are great catalysts and the others would be not?

What do you even mean with great catalyst? Abundant application? And what do you mean with "atomic level reasons"? About what kind of catalyst are we even talking: Molecular, surface, nano-particles, etc.?

I think your question is way too broad to be answered in a suitable form. Maybe you could consider taking a look at: How to Ask. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. So, the choice is often made on the basis of relative cost. But of course, not all transition elements are adequate for these catalytic properties : Metals such as silver and copper have a high affinity for sulfur and form metal sulfides and sulfates.

As this happens, there will be progressively less metal available to function as a catalyst.