KMG•GOLD Gold Buyers Platinum FAQ
Platinum is a chemical element with the atomic symbol Pt
A heavy, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal, platinum is resistant to corrosion and occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits. Platinum is used in jewelry, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts, dentistry, and automobile emissions control devices.
Platinum's wear and tarnish-resistance characteristics are well suited for making fine jewelry.
Due to its rarity, greater difficulty to work with and the need to alloy it with (at the time) an even more expensive metal iridium, platinum was only used in a limited way in jewelry at the end of the 19th century. This changed at beginning of the 20th century when most diamond ring mountings and most exclusive jewelry were almost completely made of platinum.
"Source: Platinum. (2008, January 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:33, January 17, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum
Platinum is a unique element, it is not white gold.
What is Thermocouple Wire?
Thermocouple wire is used as a sensor for measuring temperature, that consists of two dissimilar metals that are joined together at the sensing end. Different thermocouple types (e.g. R, S, B, etc.) use different alloys of metals in the wire.
The resistance to the flow of electricity in metallic materials varies with temperature. This can be used to good effect in platinum resistance detectors. Platinum is particularly stable both electrically and mechanically and is also stable with respect to time, producing a relatively linear change in resistance versus temperature.
Because the output resistance change to temperature is relatively small, it follows that lead lengths and resistances are therefore important features. In general when lead lengths are short, or can be considered as an acceptable additive content, two wire configuration is sufficient.
Thermocouples employing platinum in combination with platinum-rhodium alloys, gold, or palladium have been found to be the most reproducible of all the various types. They are resistant to oxidation in air and, because of their high melting points, can be used up to very high temperatures. The best-known member of this group is Pt10Rh/Pt* (or type S, or 10/0).
- Platinum is an extremely rare metal, 30 times rarer than gold.
- Platinum's rarity as a metal has caused advertisers to associate it with exclusivity and wealth. Platinum is more precious than gold.
- Platinum purity is typically measured in parts per thousand, or per mille. Jewelry alloys are typically 900/1000 (90% pure platinum) or 950/1000 (95.0% pure platinum).
- Platinum is not magnetic