palladium Definition
pal·la·dium (pə lā′dē əm)
noun
a rare, silver-white, ductile, malleable chemical element, one of the platinum metals: it is used as a catalyst, esp. in hydrogenation processes, or in alloys with gold, silver, and other metals: symbol, Pd; at. no., 46
Etymology: ModL: so named (1803) by W. H. Wollaston (see wollastonite), after the recently discovered asteroid Pallas + -ium
Palladium Definition
Pal·la·dium (pə lā′dē əm)
noun pl. -·dia-ə
- in ancient Greece and Rome, any statue of the Greek goddess Pallas Athena; specif., the legendary statue in Troy on the preservation of which the safety of the city was supposed to depend
- anything supposed to ensure the safety of something; safeguard
Etymology: L < Gr palladion, sacred statue or image, after Pallas
palladium Finance Definition
An
important industrial metal that has a variety of uses. Automotive catalysts use
63 percent of the demand for palladium; electronic equipment accounts for about
21 percent; dental alloys make up about 12 percent; and the remainder is used
for jewelry. Most of the production, around two-thirds, comes from Russia;
South Africa makes up just under one-fourth of production; the remainder comes
from North America. Palladium futures are traded on the New York Mercantile
Exchange; however, the volume is very modest. Other exchanges also trade
palladium futures.
palladium Usage Examples
Converse of object
- contain: Our policy is to use only white gold alloys containing palladium, and which are nickel-free.
- use: The active ingredients of catalysts are typically metals such as the combination of platinum, rhodium, palladium used for car exhausts.
- alloy: The effects of alloying palladium on the associated cyclization chemistry will be discussed.
Modifies a noun
- catalyst: For example, ethanenitrile can be reduced to ethylamine by reaction with hydrogen in the presence of a palladium catalyst.
- atom: For example, in the bulk palladium, less than 4 % of the palladium atoms were on surface of the particle.
- coin: The first palladium coins were issued by Tonga in 1967.
- metal: In cases where the palladium metal is preformed, a much smaller induction period is evident.
- cluster: There has been much speculation as to whether palladium clusters perform the catalysis in the Heck reaction.
- alloy: Applications: As hardening alloy constituent of platinum and palladium alloys as well as a decorative coating in some specialist items.
Noun used with modifier
%: Additions of about 10 -12 % palladium to gold impart a good white color.

