Palladium
Paladio (Pd, Z=46)
- Date
- 1803 · confidence high
- Place
- London, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- William Hyde Wollaston
- People
- 👤 William Hyde Wollaston1766–1828
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Wollaston separated it from crude platinum and put it on sale anonymously as 'new silver', which sparked controversy until he revealed his authorship.
Named after the asteroid Pallas, discovered in 1802.
What it led to
- Hydrogenation and cross-coupling catalysts (Nobel 2010)
- Catalytic converters
- Hydrogen storage in palladium
Built on
- Platinum refining
- Aqua regia
Made possible
- Suzuki and Heck reactions
- Three-way catalytic converter