Researchers from Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering have utilized computational methods to find and classify dozens of platinum-group alloys. Although previously unknown to science, these alloys could have many beneficial applications. The research is part of the Materials Genome Imitative launched three years ago by President Barack Obama.
Platinum is used for a variety of purposes, including producing high-octane gasoline and rubbers, but can be very expensive. Researchers are hoping that one of the new group of platinum alloys will be comparable to platinum in performance but cost much less. The research group spent years developing algorithms and databases that helped them identify these new compounds.
Nearly 40,000 calculations were made and the end result was the discovery of 37 new binary alloys in the platinum-group of metals, which include osmium, iridium ruthenium, rhodium, platinum and palladium. These metals are highly sought after because of their resistance to chemical corrosion and their ability to perform in high-temperature environments. Just some of the many applications include electrical components, corrosion-resistant apparatus, fuel cells, etc. The study also provides detailed structural data on known materials in addition to identifying unknown alloys.