This element is not currently sponsored. To sponsor this element yourself, please contact Michelle Saxton, Dept. C Platinum was discovered by Ulloa in 1735.
Platinum is a silvery-white metal that is malleable and ductile.
Platinum metal does not oxidize in air at any temperature, but is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulfur, and caustic alkalis. The metal is extensively used in jewelry, wire, vessels for laboratory use, in many valuable instruments, electrical contacts, corrosion-resistant apparatus, and in dentistry. Since platinum also has a high melting point, it is used for coating missile nose cones, jet engine fuel nozzles, and other devices which must operate in red heat. Platinum-cobalt alloys have good magnetic properties, and are commonly used. Platinum is a valuable catalyst, being used in cigarette lighters, hand warmers, and in cracking petroleum products, among other uses.