American Elements: Rhodium Oxide Supplier & Tech Info

Rhodium Oxide Hydrate is a highly insoluble thermally stable Rhodium source suitable for glass, optic and ceramic applications. Oxide compounds are not conductive to electricity. However, certain perovskite structured oxides are electronically conductive finding application in the cathode of solid oxide fuel cells and oxygen generation systems. They are compounds containing at least one oxygen anion and one metallic cation. They are typically insoluble in aqueous solutions (water) and extremely stable making them useful in ceramic structures as simple as producing clay bowls to advanced electronics and in light weight structural components in aerospace and electrochemical applications such as fuel cells in which they exhibit ionic conductivity. Metal oxide compounds are basic anhydrides and can therefore react with acids and with strong reducing agents in redox reactions. Rhodium Oxide is also available in pellets, pieces, powder, sputtering targets, tablets, and nanopowder (from American Elements' nanoscale production facilities). See Nanotechnology for more nanotechnology applications information. Rhodium Oxide is generally immediately available in most volumes. Ultra high purity and high purity compositions improve both optical quality and usefulness as scientific standards. Nanoscale (See also Nanotechnology Information and Quantum Dots) elemental powders and suspensions, as alternative high surface area forms, may be considered. Additional technical, research and safety (MSDS) information is available.

Rhodium is a Block D, Group 9, Period 5 element. The electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d⁸ 5s¹. In its elemental form rhodium's CAS number is 7440-16-6. The rhodium atom has a radius of 134.5.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Rhodium is a member of the platinum group of metals. It has a higher melting point than platinum, but a lower density. It is alloyed with platinum and palladium in electrodes for spark plugs, advanced laboratory equipment and in thermocouples. Rhodium compounds also have catalytic uses in automotive catalytic converters. Rhodium is used as a plating metal in jewelry production to enhance the whiteness of white gold. Rhodium is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder.