Palladium (Pd)
"The Hydrogen Sponge, a hero with the amazing ability to absorb vast amounts of hydrogen gas."
A memorable persona to anchor Pd in your mind.
12.023
Grams per cm³
1554.8
Celsius (°C)
202
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Palladium is found in �white gold� jewelry alloys.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1803
Discovered By
William Hyde Wollaston
Origin of Name
"Palladium is named after the asteroid Pallas, in turn named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, Pallas."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
106.42 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2963°C
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 4d10
1st Ionization Energy
8.337 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Palladium is a lustrous, silvery-white, rare metal."
Did You Know?
It has the remarkable ability to absorb up to 900 times its own volume of hydrogen gas at room temperature.
Along with platinum and rhodium, palladium is a key component in catalytic converters in most gasoline-powered cars.
It is a popular alternative to platinum in jewelry, especially for creating 'white gold' alloys.
Palladium was used in the 'cold fusion' experiments of 1989, where its hydrogen-absorbing properties were central to the controversial claims.