What Does
Platinum (Pt) Mean?
Platinum (Pt) is a dense, ductile, malleable and highly unreactive transition metal with atomic number 68. Physically, it is silver-white in appearance and is considered to be a precious metal, similar to gold and silver. Among its many desirable properties, platinum is well-known for its resistance to corrosion and tarnishing, thus making it a highly valued material in several industries.
Corrosionpedia Explains Platinum (Pt)
Platinum’s inertness (i.e., its low chemical reactivity) and corrosion resistance make it ideal for use in several demanding applications, such as laboratory equipment, medical instruments, catalytic converters and electrical contacts. This metal is also used in a wide range of other applications, such as to manufacture jewelry, magnets, optical fibers and aircraft components.
Also worthy of note is platinum’s high melting point of 3,214°F (1,768°C), which is higher than both gold and silver. This attribute makes platinum suitable for high-temperature applications such as catalytic converters in cars and jet engine turbine blades.