Palladium

Date 01-10-2009 17:58

Hello everyone,
Dad got me a book about the periodic chart when I was a kid, and I still read it today.
The entry for palladium has an interesting note that palladium softens over a wide temperature range before it melts so that it is real easy to weld.
I'm curious if anyone on here has ever welded palladium, and if they can talk about it.
I can't think of anything palladium is used for outside of the nuclear industries, so trying to imagine what would be welded with it is out of my league.

Thank you all
-Clif

By js55

Date 01-12-2009 14:02

Don't know much about Pd except that it is added to CP's and T64 Ti alloys to make Grades such as 7, 11, 16, 17, 24, and 25 for enhanced corrosion resistance in reducing acids and sour service, and improves crevice corrosion resistance. Usually added in the range of ~.05% to .15%.

By PlasmaHead2 (***)

Date 01-13-2009 22:04

Hmmm, why do I get the feeling that very few if any people have gotten to put 2 pieces of Pd together and weld it...

By Metarinka (****)

Date 01-26-2009 20:31

because it costs $200 an ounce or about $5500 a kilo. Really only second in price to gold and platinum. I think they only make it for rare and exotic applications even then, I'm not sure how usefull of a metal it is in an unalloyed form. They also use it in catalytic converters but I believe that's all cast.

I know some jewellers who use it, but they solder it. I think Iron man is probably the biggest user of palladium.

By CWI555

Date 04-02-2009 15:51

"I'm curious if anyone on here has ever welded palladium, and if they can talk about it."

I missed this initial post. Your wording is interesting. "and if they can talk about it" Now if someone had welded it in the DOD realm or more apply an alloy of, that someone would not likely be able to talk about it.

I compliment you on your fishing skills :-)

By ravi theCobra (**)

Date 04-03-2009 00:05

Palladium is more like 1000 $ / O U N C E !

By PlasmaHead2 (***)

Date 04-03-2009 21:30

Thank you, I do what I can ;)
I'm always asking "what's that made out of?" at work when we get the odd materials to machine, so I'm used to getting the blank stare of "your not supposed to know that".

By js55

Date 04-09-2009 20:53

Just a note, Pd is finding its way into research martensitic alloys fbased upon the 9 to 12 Cr families for USC steam service. The results show a considerable reduction in oxidation at high steam temps. The problem, cost. Duh.