Rhodium

Rhodium is a chemical element with symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is a rare, silvery-white, hard, corrosion-resistant and chemically inert transition metal. It is a noble metal and a member of the platinum group.

Atomic number 45 Atomic mass 102.91 g.mol -1 Electronegativity according to Pauling 2.2 Density 12.4 g.cm-3 at 20°C Melting point 1970 °C Boiling point 3727 °C Isotopes 9 Electronic shell [ Kr ] 4d8 5s1 Energy of first ionisation 742 kJ.mol -1 Standard Potential 0.6 V Discovered by William Wollaston in 1803

Characteristics

Rhodium is a hard, silver-colored metal that is very stable and has a high melting point. Rhodium metal is resistant to corrosion and, as a PGM, it shares the group’s exceptional catalytic properties.

The metal has a high reflectance, is hard and durable, and has both a low electrical resistance as well as a low and stable contact resistance.