Platinum Metals Review - Volume 29, Issue 4, 1985

A new catalyst with a low metal loading has been developed for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and has shown good activity, selectivity and durability in laboratory reactors, demonstrating that these catalyst systems could be used in future commercial processes.

If base metals are thinly coated with platinum from an aqueous electrolyte the deposit is likely to be porous, thus enhancing the susceptibility of the substrate metal to corrosion and the surface to discolouration in certain environments. This paper considers the processes involved and shows that the application of a suitable intermediate layer can effectively prevent this, so enabling the inherent properties of platinum to be utilised for a greater number of functional and decorative applications.

Catalyst technology based upon platinum metals supported on a ceramic or metal substrate has been tried, tested and approved in the United States of America and in Japan for the control of carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen from vehicles. Australia is shortly to require a reduction in noxious emissions from this source, while in Europe a growing awareness of the detrimental effects of pollutants upon the environment has now led to a decision to introduce emission control standards. Over the past decade the motor industry has been supplied by Johnson Matthey with many millions of autocatalysts; now their accumulated expertise and manufacturing capacity will be available to meet the European demand, whether it be for advanced three-way catalysts, using platinum and rhodium, or for platinum + palladium oxidation catalysts to support anticipated developments in lean-burn engine technology.

The platinum on silica catalyst designated EUROPT-1 has recently become available as a standard reference catalyst for the scientific communities in academy and industry. The material, which was manufactured by Johnson Matthey, has been characterised by the Council of Europe’s Research Group on Catalysis, and the full report of that characterisation study is about to appear in the scientific literature.

Recent investigations into metal powder fabrication by chemical precipitation techniques have shown that a wide variety of powder morphologies can be obtained by making subtle changes in the reaction parameters. Palladium powders produced using these techniques find wide application in the microelectronics industry, particularly as metallisations for multilayer ceramic capacitors or in thick film interconnection systems.