What Are The Uses Of Rhodium?

Did You Know?

that Rhodium is historically circa six times more expensive than Gold

Rhodium is one of a group of metals known as Noble Metals. Most are Precious Metals and all are resistant to corrosion and oxidation. Other examples are Gold Platinum and Silver.

Rhodium has a very high melting point, is corrosion resistant and is a good electrical conductor.

These properties allow it to be used in the following

* electrical devices
* high temperature alloys
* specialised laboratory equipment
* furnace windings
* thermo-couple elements
* aircraft spark plug electrodes.

Like Platinum and Palladium it is a catalyst and can be used in automobile catalytic converters although Rhodiums’ current high cost limits its’ wide use in this application.

It is also a very effective catalyst in a number of important industrial applications.

• Rhodium can be electroplated when it becomes extremely hard and is used in optical instruments.

• A thin film of Rhodium applied to glass produces an effective optical quality mirror.

• Rhodium is a good hardener for Platinum and Palladium.

• Rhodium applied as a coating to other metals provides a shiny hard surface that is used in camera parts, table silverware and similar items.

• Used to give white gold an extra shine, it is also used in jewelry and other decorative applications.

• In exceptional circumstances when Platinum and Gold have been considered inadequate symbols of wealth, Rhodium has been used to produce the ‘most expensive’ product or accessory.

• A one-off Rhodium plated disc was presented by The Guinness Book of Records to Paul McCartney for being the all-time best selling recording artist and songwriter.