What is the white gold

jj February 24, 2020


Contents

  • 1 white gold
  • 2 The minerals forming the white gold ingot
  • 3 The characteristics of white gold
    • 3.1 Physical properties of platinum
    • 3.2 The chemical properties of platinum
  • 4 whereabouts of platinum ore
  • 5 uses of platinum
  • 6 How to distinguish between white gold platinum and platinum
  • 7 References

White gold

The name white gold was called platinum chemical symbol Pt, which is a chemical element, and this name was named after the Spanish word plata, meaning small piece of silver. It is about color, as it appears in a bright white color. The Italian scientist Julius Scaliger discovered this precious metal in 1557 AD, and the first explorers called it white iron, while the name white gold belongs to the ancient Chinese, and a large amount of this mineral was discovered in Latin America by the Spanish, when its price was very cheap; for ignorance People are important and uses it, but with the increase in knowledge and the development of knowledge, its prices have skyrocketed, to make platinum the most expensive and rare in the world. [1] [2]

It is worth noting that the name white gold is given to an alloy consisting of a mixture of several minerals in different proportions, which was invented to be a substitute for platinum in the jewelry industry, as the white gold alloy is used as a framework to place diamonds on it, and may be mixed with yellow gold in various jewelry . [3] [4]

The metals that make up the white gold bars

White gold ingot has two different types; the first type depends on the mixing of gold, copper , nickel and zinc in specific proportions, and this type is characterized by the speed of its hardening during pouring, its tendency to break when exposed to fire, and the possibility of exposure to the skin as a result of contact with the skin second Faihtoa gold, silver, palladium, this type is characterized by high Bleonth during manufacturing, and the possibility of working in cold conditions, and the lack of inclination to break when exposed to fire, and painted alloy white gold rhodium ; so as to add more white and Alro Flush with it, but this paint process must be repeated every time to preserve the look and color of the alloy. [3] [4]

White gold properties

Platinum known as white gold is characterized by many physical and chemical properties that made it a distinct and valuable element. Among the most important of these characteristics are the following:

The physical properties of platinum

Platinum is distinguished by the following physical properties : [5] [1] [6]
  • It is distinguished by its great strength that surpasses that of gold.
  • Melted at a temperature of 3827 degrees Celsius.
  • The density of platinum is 21.45 g / cm³, and despite its large density , it is flexible and retractable, and it can be easily formed, as an ounce of it can be drawn with a length of 1.6 km, and with a thickness less than the thickness of a human hair.

The chemical properties of platinum

Platinum has the following chemical properties : [5] [1] [7]
  • It is considered a chemical inert; that is, it does not interact with most chemical elements, and its atomic number reaches 78.
  • It is an anti-corrosive metal with most materials, such as water and oxygen.
  • Dissolves in a mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
  • There are six isotopes in nature: 190Pt, 192Pt, 194Pt, 195Pt, 196Pt, 198Pt.

The whereabouts of platinum ore

Platinum is a very rare mineral. It ranks 72nd of the chemical elements available in the earth's crust out of 94 elements. [8] Most of its ores are available in South Africa, which contain approximately 75% of the platinum ores in the world, while Russia The world is about 20% of it, while North America contributes 6% of the world's needs to this mineral.

Platinum is found either in the form of small granules or large clumps of up to nine kilograms in weight, and may be associated with other minerals in the same ore, such as: copper, gold, iron , and nickel, and the names of platinum ores differ according to the related elements in them. Platinum mineral is associated with arsenic in the form of platinum arsenide (PtAs 2 ), and the cupiteite in which platinum mineral is in the form of platinum sulfide (PtS). Platinum may be found in other mineral ores in small proportions, such as: copper ores and nickel. [1]

Platinum uses

Platinum is used in many industrial applications, due to its distinctive characteristics, namely:
  • Catalytic Convertor, used in automobile exhaust, which converts approximately 90% of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas , and water vapor. [9]
  • It is used in chemical laboratories, because it is chemically inert, and thus does not interact with other elements. [1]
  • It is useful in making thin sheets and wires that are used in many fields, and the use of platinum in the electrical and electronic industries constitutes 7% of its total production. [1]
  • It is used in dismantling parts of oil, with the aim of producing gasoline with a higher octane number. [10]
  • It is used in the jewelry industry , due to its strength and hardness, as it is distinguished by not being affected by the materials that remove luster, and the percentage of platinum used in the jewelry industry constitutes 51% of the total global production. [1] To increase the durability of these jewelry, other minerals are added to platinum, Such as: iridium, palladium, and ruthenium. [6]
  • Platinum is used in the manufacture of surgical devices, as it plays an important role in the manufacture of pacemakers and catheters , in addition to the nervous systems and alloys used for dental restoration. Platinum is also involved in the manufacture of chemical compounds that have an effective effect in the treatment of various types of cancer. [11]
  • Pure platinum is used in the manufacture of high-quality glass ; its use in this industry is approximately 4% of its global production, [1] and it may be mixed with other metals to obtain some desirable properties, as it is mixed with 5% -20% of rhodium metal to obtain On a higher strength, a platinum alloy with 5% gold may be used as a coating for the ceramic substrate . [12]

How to distinguish between white gold platinum and platinum

A distinction can be made between white gold platinum and platinum by identifying several characteristics, the most important of which are: [13] [14]
  • Color: Platinum is distinguished by its natural white color that does not change with time, unlike the white gold alloy that begins to yellow with time.
  • Weight: Platinum is heavier than white gold.
  • Price: Platinum is distinguished by its price compared to white gold. The price of a platinum ring is approximately $ 1,800, while a ring made of white gold alloy is only about $ 435.