Platinum Metals Review - Volume 38, Issue 2, 1994

“Supercapacitors” are a new category of electrical condenser which are based on the properties of charge distribution at the interface of an electrode/electrolyte solution. After an introduction to the features of such devices, a brief history of their development is followed by a description of some technical details. The latter part of the paper is devoted to some specific properties of ruthenium and iridium oxides, RuOx and IrOx, which exhibit very interesting interfacial behaviour for their potential use in supercapacitors. In particular, these materials are very versatile in their method of preparation and in their surface properties. Prospects for changing the properties of the active layer of the superconductor by mixing two or more oxides are discussed.

In this review major developments associated with the synthesis, properties, structure and applications of polymer-immobilised clusters of platinum, palladium, ridium, rhodium, osmium and ruthenium, are presented. Special attention is paid to polymer analogous reactions with metal clusters and new directions involving the polymerisation and copolymerisation of cluster-containing monomers. Some specific features of fixing heterometallic clusters on polymers are examined and the more interesting application of PCNM in catalysis, and future developments in this direction, are discussed.

The use of platinum for the preparation of optical glass can be traced back to Michael Faraday who, in 1824, investigated ways of improving the manufacture of optical glass. During this work he began to use platinum for containment vessels, stirrers and ladles. Prior to this Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner had been appointed Professor of Chemistry at the University of Jena and was later supplied with platinum crucibles by his patrons. Crucibles and stirrers made from platinum were also used when Otto Schott was collaborating with Ernst Abbe on the development of new optical glasses. Their work led to a revolutionary upsurge in the optical industry in Jena and, following the involvement of Carl and Roderich Zeiss, the establishment of a reputation for optical-mechanical excellence which has been maintained ever since.