Palladium (Pd)

Palladium properties

Atomic number

46

Atomic mass

106.42 u

Category

Transition metal

Group

10

Period

5

Block

d-block

State at room temp.

Solid

Electronegativity

2.2

Melting point

1,828.05 K (1,554.9 °C)

Boiling point

3,236 K (2,962.8 °C)

Density

12.023 g/cm³

Valence electrons

10

Common charges

+2, +3

Oxidation states

+3, +2

Atomic radius

202 pm

Ionization energy

8.337 eV

Electron affinity

0.557 eV

Radioactive

No, has stable isotopes

Discovered

1802

Palladium electron configuration

The electron configuration of Palladium (Pd) is [Kr] 4d10. Its 46 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 18.

Protons, neutrons and electrons in Palladium

A neutral Palladium atom has 46 protons and 46 electrons. Most Palladium atoms have about 60 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 106, minus the atomic number 46.

Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass

How many valence electrons does Palladium have?

10

Palladium has no electrons in an outer s subshell ([Kr] 4d10), so its 10 valence electrons are the electrons of its outer d subshell.

See every element: Periodic table with valence electrons

Palladium orbital diagram

Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations

Molar mass of Palladium

106.42 g/mol

One mole of Palladium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 106.42 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.

Palladium facts

• At room temperature, palladium can absorb up to about 900 times its own volume of hydrogen gas.
• It was named after the asteroid Pallas, which had been discovered earlier the same year, in 1802.
• Palladium (Pd) has atomic number 46 and is a solid at room temperature. It was discovered in 1802.

Position in the periodic table

Palladium is element 46, in period 5 and group 10 of the periodic table, in the d-block.

All transition metals

Uses of Palladium

Palladium is used mostly in catalytic converters, especially for gasoline cars, where it helps convert carbon monoxide and unburned fuel into carbon dioxide and water. It is also found in electronic components such as multilayer ceramic capacitors, in dental alloys, and in white gold jewelry. Chemists rely on palladium catalysts to join carbon atoms together when making medicines and other complex molecules.

Who discovered Palladium?

English chemist William Hyde Wollaston discovered palladium in 1802 while purifying platinum ore from South America. He first offered it for sale anonymously in a London shop, which led some chemists to suspect a hoax before he revealed that he was its discoverer.

Where does the name come from?

Palladium is named after the asteroid Pallas, discovered in 1802, shortly before William Hyde Wollaston found the element. The asteroid itself was named after Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

Discovery timeline