A cheap liquid platinum catalyst turned out to be 1,000 times more efficient than its counterpart

Platinum is one of the most effective catalysts for chemical reactions. But its industrial use

difficult due to the high cost of metal andhigh energy consumption for the operation of platinum systems. Australian chemists have found a way to use tiny amounts of platinum to create powerful reactions without costly energy costs.

In their work, the researchers combined platinum withliquid gallium, the melting point of which is only 29.8 °C. Platinum, which under normal conditions melts at temperatures exceeding 1,700 °C, dissolves in liquid gallium. However, as the researchers note, heat treatment is required only at the initial stage, when platinum is dissolved in gallium to create a catalytic system.

Balls of platinum in liquid gallium. Photo: Arifur Rahim, UNSW Sydney

Chemists explain what to useClassic platinum-based catalysts in the chemical industry require high temperatures to melt the metal. For the new development, it is enough to heat the gallium and platinum system to a temperature of about 300 °C for one or two hours to create the catalyst.

There are alternative solid statecarbon-based catalytic system that does not require ultra-high temperatures. However, the share of platinum in such systems should reach 10%. And for the new system to work effectively, according to the developers, 0.01% of the precious metal is enough. 

At the same time, during the experiment, the researchersfound that a liquid catalyst was 1,000 times more efficient than a solid catalyst. It turned out that solid platinum does not form in a liquid system at room temperature. The precious metal atoms are distributed within the liquid gallium.

The platinum actually sits just below the surface and activates the gallium atoms around it. Thus, the magic happens with gallium under the influence of platinum.

Andrew Christofferson, co-author of the paper from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Chemists say that due to the cost and highefficiency, the new catalyst is capable of revolutionizing industrial production. For example, it will be useful in the synthesis of ammonia in the production of fertilizers and the creation of environmentally friendly fuel cells. In addition, by expanding the new method of creating catalysts, one can obtain more than a thousand possible combinations of elements for thousands of different reactions.

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