Notably, platinum metals include various groups of chemical substances, which are associated with multiple electrochemical properties. Platinum is assigned the symbol Pt. Several reactions can be used to determine the electrochemical properties of these metals using a potential-pH diagram. The paper will discuss the electrochemical aspects of platinum metals.
Platinum metals are known to tend to develop complex ions. Remarkably, complex substances found in these metals increase their corrosion resulting in a greater ability to dissolve into solutions. Platinum metals are seen to be very noble because their domain of stability is found to cover that of water (Pourbaix et al. 51). However, these metals are stable in any pH of an aqueous solution associated with no complexing substances.
Metallic platinum is not affected at approximately 25°C in the presence of caustic alkalis solutions and water (Pourbaix et al. 52). Besides, oxidizing agents attack these metals with difficulty, while acids do not affect them. Platinum metals can be dissolved using aqua regia, which acts through a combination of complexing and oxidizing actions (Pourbaix et al. 52). Hydrochloric acid is known to attack platinum when combined with chlorine because this entails oxidizing actions combined with complexing actions. If platinum is used as an anode, it is not attacked in caustic alkali solutions and non-complexing acids such as nitric and hydrochloric (Pourbaix et al. 52). Hydrogen can be absorbed in large quantities by platinum cathodes, which contribute to faults and fissures in these metals.
At ordinary temperatures, platinum is oxidized by reagents such as KClO3, K2S2O8, and concentrated HNO3 (Pourbaix et al. 52). Since platinum metals are not corroded easily, even in high potentials, it is used as an anode frequently in cathodic protection in marine installations and ships. Platinum shows high stability under pH associated with the equilibrium of reaction and conditions of potentials (Pourbaix et al. 52). Several properties of these metals explain their various uses, such as reducing and oxidizing agents.
Work Cited
Pourbaix, M. J. N., J. Van Muylder, and N. De Zoubov. “Electrochemical Properties of The Platinum Metals.” Platinum Metals Review 3.2 (1959): 47-53.