Palladium

46
Pd
Group
10
Period
5
Block
d
Protons
Electrons
Neutrons
46
46
60
General Properties
Atomic Number
46
Atomic Weight
106.42
Mass Number
106
Category
Transition metals
Color
Silver
Radioactive
No
Palladium was named after the asteroid Pallas; Pallas was the Greek goddess of wisdom
Crystal Structure
Face Centered Cubic
History
Palladium was discovered in 1803, in London, by English chemist William Hyde Wollaston.

He examined the residues left from platinum after dissolving it in aqua regia, a concentrated solution of hydrochloric and nitric acids.

He then isolated palladium in a series of chemical reactions.
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 18
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 4d10
Pd
In the late 1800s, palladium was more expensive than platinum
Physical Properties
Phase
Solid
Density
12.02 g/cm3
Melting Point
1828.05 K | 1554.9 °C | 2830.82 °F
Boiling Point
3236.15 K | 2963 °C | 5365.4 °F
Heat of Fusion
16.7 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
380 kJ/mol
Specific Heat Capacity
0.244 J/g·K
Abundance in Earth's crust
6.3×10-7%
Abundance in Universe
2×10-7%
Palladium
Image Credits: Images-of-elements
Palladium crystal
CAS Number
7440-05-3
PubChem CID Number
23938
Atomic Properties
Atomic Radius
137 pm
Covalent Radius
139 pm
Electronegativity
2.2 (Pauling scale)
Ionization Potential
8.3369 eV
Atomic Volume
8.9 cm3/mol
Thermal Conductivity
0.718 W/cm·K
Oxidation States
2, 4
Applications
The largest use of palladium is in catalytic converters in the automobile industry.

Finely divided palladium is a good catalyst and is used for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.

The metal is used in dentistry, watch making, and in making surgical instruments and electrical contacts.
Palladium is considered to be of low toxicity
Isotopes
Stable Isotopes
102Pd, 104Pd, 105Pd, 106Pd, 108Pd, 110Pd
Unstable Isotopes
91Pd, 92Pd, 93Pd, 94Pd, 95Pd, 96Pd, 97Pd, 98Pd, 99Pd, 100Pd, 101Pd, 103Pd, 107Pd, 109Pd, 111Pd, 112Pd, 113Pd, 114Pd, 115Pd, 116Pd, 117Pd, 118Pd, 119Pd, 120Pd, 121Pd, 122Pd, 123Pd, 124Pd