Uniform platinum and palladium powders of submicron size are important conductor materials for the electronics industry, but their synthesis is difficult. Researchers from the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France, have now reported a room temperature synthesis of spherical platinum and palladium submicron particles by controlled hydrazine reduction of PtCl₆^2- and Pd(NH₃)₄²⁺, respectively, in glycols (K. Tekaia-Elhsissen, F. Bonet, S. Grugeon, S. Lambert and R. Herrera-Urbina J. Mater. Res ., 1999, 14, (9), 3707-3712).

Platinum powders produced in this way contain particles with a bimodal size distribution which can be narrowed by synthesis at −5°C. Palladium powders are monodisperse, of average particle size 0.1–0.3 μm; their particle size and distribution can be controlled by modification of the solution chemistry.