Palladium is a rare precious metal that has many unique properties, including resistance to corrosion, a high melting point, and high conductivity. This metal is used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications, including electronics, jewelry, and automotive manufacturing. The precious metals experts from First National Bullion, Scottsdale collector’s premier choice for high-quality palladium, platinum, silver, and gold, look at some of the everyday items that contain palladium.
Catalytic Converters
Palladium is used as a catalyst to convert harmful emissions from vehicles into less harmful ones. It speeds up the reactions that turn hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.
Palladium is often combined with rhodium in catalytic converters. About 85 percent of the total palladium is used in the automobile industry, and because of its important role in reducing air pollution, the demand for palladium in catalytic converters has skyrocketed in recent years.
Electronics
Palladium is used in various electronic devices, such as computers, mobile phones, TVs, and cameras. It’s used to make electrical contacts, capacitors, and resistors. Palladium is also used to coat circuit boards and connectors to prevent corrosion and improve conductivity. It’s a good conductor of electricity and heat.
Jewelry
Palladium is a popular metal for making jewelry, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. It’s naturally white and shiny, and it doesn’t tarnish or lose its color when exposed to air. Palladium is also hypoallergenic, meaning it doesn’t cause allergic reactions in most people. It’s also a lighter metal than platinum, making it a great option for those who want a more lightweight piece of jewelry.
Palladium is often used to make white gold, which is an alloy of gold and silvery metals. Palladium-gold alloy is more expensive than nickel-gold alloy, but it’s also more durable and resistant to wear.
Watches
Palladium is also used in the manufacturing of luxury watches. Many high-end watchmakers, including Rolex and Patek Philippe, use palladium in their timepieces. Palladium is prized for its durability and its ability to resist tarnishing, making it an ideal material for watchmaking. Palladium is often used in the cases and bracelets of luxury watches as well as in the movements themselves.
Dentistry
Palladium is used in dentistry to make dental alloys, such as crowns, bridges, implants, and fillings. Palladium is mixed with other metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, or copper, to form strong and biocompatible alloys that can withstand corrosion and high temperatures. Palladium also has antibacterial properties that can prevent infections in the mouth.
Medicine
Palladium has some medical applications as well. It can be used as a contrast agent for X-ray imaging of the lungs and kidneys. It can also be used as a radioactive source for brachytherapy, which is a type of radiation therapy that involves placing radioactive seeds inside or near tumors. Palladium can also be used to make surgical instruments and artificial joints.
Hydrogen Purification
Palladium can be used to purify hydrogen gas from other gasses, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and methane. It has the ability to absorb large amounts of hydrogen and form a palladium-hydrogen alloy. This alloy allows hydrogen atoms to pass through it while blocking other atoms. This process can be used to produce pure hydrogen for fuel cells and other applications.
Chemical Applications
Palladium can be used as a catalyst for various chemical reactions, such as hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, oxidation, reduction, coupling, and cross-coupling. It can facilitate the formation or breaking of bonds between carbon atoms and other elements. Palladium can also be used to synthesize organic compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, perfumes, and plastics.
Groundwater Treatment
Palladium can be used to treat contaminated groundwater by removing organic pollutants and heavy metals. It can act as a catalyst for the oxidation of organic compounds into carbon dioxide and water. It can also act as a reductant for the precipitation of heavy metals into insoluble forms.
From jewelry to electronics to automobiles, palladium plays an important role in many industries. While it’s a relatively rare metal, the demand for palladium continues to grow, making it a valuable commodity in today’s economy. Whether you’re wearing a palladium wedding ring or driving a car with a palladium catalytic converter, this precious metal is sure to be a part of your daily life.
Whether they’re veteran palladium collectors or new investors looking to buy gold bars, Scottsdale residents should reach out to the experts at First National Bullion. We offer a huge selection of palladium, gold, platinum, and silver. Scottsdale collectors who are looking for the finest-quality coins, bars, and bullion should give us a call at (480) 546-5089 to speak with one of our precious metals experts.
The statements made in this blog are opinions, and past performance is not indicative of future returns. Precious metals, like all investments, carry risk. Precious metals and coins may appreciate, depreciate, or stay the same in cash value depending on a variety of factors. First National Bullion does not guarantee, and its website and employees make no representation, that any metals for sale will appreciate sufficiently to earn the customers a profit. The decision to buy, sell, or borrow precious metals and which precious metals to purchase, borrow, or sell are made at the customer’s sole discretion.