Platinum Metals Review - Volume 13, Issue 2, 1969

The development of electrochemical routes in the industrial production of organic compounds is beginning to attract considerable interest. Already two large-scale processes are in operation, one producing adiponitrile from acrylonitrile, an intermediate step in the manufacture of Nylon 66, and the other producing lead tetra-ethyl anti-knock compounds. This article reviews the basic electrochemistry involved in this type of synthesis and outlines the great possibilities being opened up by advances in technique, in reactor design and in the development of new types of electrode structures in which platinum and its associated metals will play an important part.

Some unexpected reactions in platinum metal alloys have been successfully-predicted by the Engel-Brewer relationships. Although the basic principles involved are still uncertain, interesting possibilities emerge and several possible applications for the reactions suggested by this theory are proposed.

Since the publication of earlier papers from the Johnson Matthey Research Laboratories on the catalytic properties of mixed platinum group metal catalysts, two other groups have published their findings. These are in certain respects in disagreement with each other and with the original work and results relating to the ruthenium-platinum system are critically discussed in this paper.

Stainless steel parts brazed with standard low-melting brazing alloys are susceptible to a specific kind of corrosion by water or humid atmosphere, generally known as interface or crevice corrosion. One of the advantages of brazing alloys of the silver-copper-palladium type is that they will produce joints in stainless steel resistant to this form of failure.