Among items appearing in this issue are the following:

Johnson Matthey is very pleased to announce that the winner of the Rhodium Bicentenary Competition held last year is Professor Robert H. Crabtree of Yale University, U.S.A. Professor Crabtree’s proposal is for a rhodium-based method for the production of organic compounds.

Much improved performances can be achieved from proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) currently in use. The majority of this improvement is available at the cathode, traditionally made from unsupported or carbon-supported platinum. Tom Ralph and Martin Hogarth, of the Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, describe the adoption of platinum alloys, such as platinum-chromium, in the cathode. The platinum alloys increase the electrical efficiency by 2%, if the cathode materials and electrode design are tailored to the desired stack operating conditions. As other cathode catalyst materials (not containing platinum) are much less active, effort is focused on improving the use of the platinum through improved cathode design. In the April issue of Platinum Metals Review the authors will discuss improvements to the anode.

Destroying the hazardous organic waste produced by chemical processes is becoming an industry in itself, needing to be strictly regulated by environmental agencies or government bodies. Generally environmentally harmful waste is incinerated at high temperature, but this may lead to the formation of harmful dioxins in the presence of chlorine-containing waste. Waste may also be treated electrochemically, producing carbon dioxide and water. One on-site electrochemical method, which can be tailored to the volume and content of a particular organisation’s effluent, is described by Norvell Nelson of CerOx Corporation in California, U.S.A. It comprises a closed tank system utilising platinum-plated titanium electrodes. The system can treat most organic waste materials very effectively at low temperatures.

The EC is implementing a range of exhaust emission regulations for cars, light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and motorcycles. New technologies, incorporating the platinum group metals, available to meet these regulations are described by Dirk Bosteels and Rob Searles from the Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst, in Belgium. The technologies include low light-off catalysts, thermally-durable catalysts, improved substrate technology, hydrocarbon adsorbers, electrically heated catalysts, DeNOx catalysts and adsorbers, selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters. This range of technologies will allow exhaust emissions from all engines, both on- and non-road, to be lowered to unprecedented levels.

The 5th European Congress on Catalysis (EuropaCat-V), held in Limerick, Ireland, in September 2001, is reviewed by Stephen Poulston and Steve Pollington from the Johnson Matthey Technology Centre. Reporting on work involving the platinum metals, they identify key areas of research and development in heterogeneous catalysis, from fundamental catalysis and surface science through combinatorial catalysis and high throughput screening to industrial catalysis and fuel processing. They also note a strong contribution from the homogeneous and biocatalysis communities.

Scientists at Kyoto University, Japan, have prepared and successfully used a palladium(II) acetate-pyridine hydrotalcite catalyst to oxidise alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Air (instead of pure oxygen) is the sole oxidant required for this reaction which proceeds at 65°C and atmospheric pressure. A variety of primary and secondary alcohols can be oxidised to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones in high yield. The catalyst is easily recovered and reused, and leaching of the palladium(II) species can be avoided. 

The three volumes (1, 2A, 2B) of a comprehensive set of books, "Modern Electrochemistry" by J. O’M. Bockris and A. K. N. Reddy, are reviewed by Lawrence Peter, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Bath, U.K.

An anode catalyst for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) giving high relative performance has been developed by a team from Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota, U.S.A. When a Pt-Ru/graphitic carbon nanofibre nanocomposite anode is used in a working DMFC, the fuel cell performance is enhanced by ~ 50% relative to that recorded for an unsupported Pt-Ru colloid anode catalyst.

The book "Progress in Hydrogen Treatment of Materials" edited by V. A. Goltsov has now been published. It deals with various aspects of the hydrogen treatment of materials. Contributions are from well-known scientists from ten countries, and bring together information on a wide range of hydrogen-induced physical effects on metals, alloys and compound systems.

"Catalysis of Organic Reactions" edited by Michael E. Ford covers papers given at the 18th Conference on Catalysis of Organic Reactions. The book is briefly reviewed by Darren Kell, of Avecia, Scotland.

This issue ends with a new occasional section in Platinum Metals Review to be called ‘Final Analysis’. This section will contain some practical advice for working in platinum group metals’ science and technology.

A selection of abstracts of the most recently published literature and patents about the platinum group metals is also included in this issue.

Platinum Metals Review is available on the internet from the publications section of the Platinum Today site or from the host site Ingenta Select.

Susan V. Ashton
Editor

Anyone with an active interest in the platinum group metals and their uses who does not have ready access to a copy of Platinum Metals Review and who may benefit from reading it, is invited to request a specimen copy from:

The Editor, Johnson Matthey PLC, Orchard Road, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 5HE, United Kingdom; Fax +44 (0) 1763 256359; Email jmpmr@matthey.com