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July 2008

Supported Palladium-Zinc Catalyst for Methanol Steam Reforming

Cross section of prototype methanol steam microreformer with Pd-Zn/oxide support washcoated in the microchannels. The microreformer supplies a miniature fuel cell power source (Courtesy of Motorola Energy Technologies Lab).

Mixed PGM Oxides Feature in Water Disinfection

Electrochemical disinfection device with four pipe reactors equipped with mixed iridium/ruthenium oxide-coated titanium electrodes, installed in a cooling water system (Courtesy of G.E.R.U.S. mbH).



"The Catalyst Technical Handbook"

Johnson Matthey has published an updated edition of "The Catalyst Technical Handbook". It contains data on heterogeneous and homogeneous pgm catalysts and their reactions, chiral catalysis and non-leachable polymer-linked catalysts. Also included is information on sponge metals and PRICAT support base metal catalysts. The handbook is available in electronic or print formats. For a free copy please contact Connie Schlegel.


Alfa Aesar 2008–2009 Catalog of Research Chemicals, Metals and Materials

Request your copy by completing the Literature Request Form.

The catalog offers nearly 30,000 products available from stock. Over 3000 new products include novel fine organics, nanomaterials, fuel cell catalysts and components, pure metals, alloys, analytical standards and catalyst/ligand kits. There is a new 14-page introduction to the Precious Metal Compounds and Catalysts section, by catalyst expert Martyn Twigg. It briefly covers the history of precious metal catalysis, and there are sections on general catalytic requirements for selected applications.


PGM Catalyst Kits

Johnson Matthey produce three catalyst kits of research amounts of catalyst, aimed at small scale working in academia and industry. Joanne Frankham (U.K. and Europe) and Connie Schlegel (U.S.A. and Asia) will provide information.


Asymmetric Hydrogenation Ligand/Catalyst Kit

A 12-piece kit of 8 ligands (500 mg each) and 4 catalysts (100 mg each) to make catalysts.


Advanced Coupling Kit

A 9-piece kit (1000 mg each) for C-C coupling reactions, aminations, alpha ketone arylation, etc., using sterically hindered substrates, aryl chlorides and electron-rich substrates. A guide is included.


Heterogeneous Catalyst Screening Kit

Contains 40 samples.


Research Chemicals

Small to medium quantities of precious metal salts and solutions are available for early stage R&D from Alfa Aesar: Europe and U.S.A. Packs are sized from grams up to semi-bulk quantities.

Further details from Alfa Aesar, free phone 00800 4566 4566 in Europe. In the U.S.A. go to Alfa Aesar, free phone 800 343 0660.

Our Website Design

The Banner

On the left of our banner are listed the chemical symbols of the six platinum group metals.

  • Pt platinum
  • Pd palladium
  • Rh rhodium
  • Ir iridium
  • Os osmium
  • Ru ruthenium
  • The metals are listed in the order in which they were discovered, starting with platinum, which has been known about since antiquity, and ending with ruthenium, which was discovered in 1844 by Karl Karlovich Klaus who named it after Russia.

    The chemical symbols were placed, by the designer, above an image of the sea which, like the six metals, touches all of our planet.

    The material on the right of the banner is platinum (or platinum alloy) grain which is produced by pouring the molten metal into water, resulting in irregular but broadly spherical grains, of size ~ 1 to ~ 5 mm. Graining of platinum alloys allows the composition of the material to be analysed. It also allows the material to be held appropriately in stock, ready for accurate formulation into a desired alloy.

    To prevent the grain from solidifying into a large mass, the water has to be suitably deep and agitated. Such grain is homogeneous, easy to handle and can be readily converted into ingot for subsequent manufacture into sheet and wire, and hence formed into objects, such as laboratory crucibles. Alternatively it can be used by jewellers in their casting machines.

    For process efficiency, this technology can be replaced by direct analysis of the composition in the melt.


    The Designers

    Our banner was designed by Barbel Graphics
    E-mail: Barbel Graphics

    Pathmedia developed our internet site.