Platinum Metals Review - Current Issue

Titanium-platinum (Ti50Pt50) (all compositions in at%) alloy exhibits thermoelastic martensitic phase transformation above 1000°C and has potential for high-temperature shape memory material applications. However, as has been previously reported, Ti50Pt50 alloy exhibited a negligible recovery ratio (0–11%) and low strength in martensite and especially in the austenite phase due to low critical stress for slip deformation. In order to improve the high-temperature strength and shape memory properties, the effects of partial substitution of Ti with other Group 4 elements such as zirconium and hafnium and the effect of partial substitution of Pt with other platinum group metals (pgms) such as iridium and ruthenium on the high-temperature mechanical and shape memory properties of Ti50Pt50 alloy were recently investigated. This paper reviews the transformation temperatures and high-temperature mechanical and shape memory properties of recently developed Ti site substituted (Ti,Zr)50Pt50, (Ti,Hf)50Pt50 and Pt site substituted Ti50(Pt,Ru)50 and Ti50(Pt,Ir)50 alloys for high-temperature (~800°C–1100°C) material applications.

The Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) programme is based upon the beneficiation of South Africa’s large platinum group metal (pgm) resources. The present article summarises some of the progress by HySA Systems, one of the three Competence Centres under the HySA Programme, since 2008. Work has been carried out on membrane electrode assembly and stack development for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) for use in combined heat and power (CHP) supplied by natural gas and hydrogen fuelled vehicle (HFV) applications. The emphasis is on improved carbon monoxide tolerance and simplified heat and humidity management, allowing simpler fuel cell systems to be designed. Metal hydrides modified with palladium are being explored as poisoning-tolerant hydrogen storage materials for stationary and special mobile applications, and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) modified with platinum as light-weight hydrogen storage with a high hydrogen storage capacity. Lastly research into hydrogen purification using Pd membrane reactors is focused on membrane support synthesis, hollow fibre seeding and development of the plating procedure.