Palladium Nanoparticles Entrapped in Aluminum Hydroxide Matrix

See more Aluminum products. Aluminum (or Aluminium) (atomic symbol: Al, atomic number: 13) is a Block P, Group 13, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 26.9815386. It is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust and the most abundant metallic element. Aluminum's name is derived from alumina, the mineral from which Sir Humphrey Davy attempted to refine it from in 1812. Aluminum was first predicted by Antoine Lavoisier 1787 and first isolated by Hans Christian Øersted in 1825. Aluminum is a silvery gray metal that possesses many desirable characteristics. It is light, nonmagnetic and non-sparking. It stands second among metals in the scale of malleability, and sixth in ductility. It is extensively used in many industrial applications where a strong, light, easily constructed material is needed. Although it has only 60% of the electrical conductivity of copper, it is used in electrical transmission lines because of its light weight. Pure aluminum is soft and lacks strength, but alloyed with small amounts of copper, magnesium, silicon, manganese, or other elements, it imparts a variety of useful properties.

See more Palladium products. Palladium (atomic symbol: Pd, atomic number: 46) is a Block D, Group 10, Period 5 element with an atomic weight of 106.42. The number of electrons in each of palladium's shells is 2, 8, 18, 18 and its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰. The palladium atom has a radius of 137 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 202 pm. In its elemental form, palladium has a silvery white appearance. Palladium is a member of the platinum group of metals (along with platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium). Palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of the group. Palladium can be found as a free metal and alloyed with other platinum-group metals. Nickel-copper deposits are the main commercial source of palladium. Palladium was discovered and first isolated by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. Its name is derived from the asteroid Pallas.