Determination of platinum in Adam's catalyst

Abstract

Adams's catalyst PtO2 x H2O has an important application in the chemical industry. The method for determination of platinum in Adam's catalyst has been elaborated. It includes the combination of cupellation and gravimetry methods. Considering that platinum oxide is practically insolvent in mineral acids, the sample is alloyed with lead by cupellation method and the separated balls solution procedure has been tested. The ball, platinum and lead alloy, is soluble in mineral acid. The platinum was settled by amonium chloride from solution, and obtained deposit treated by amonium acetate with addition of ethanol for lead removing. The retained platinum was determined by atomic absorption spctrophotometry method in the filtrate (after the platinum separation) and the final result of platinum content corrected. It was shown how the combined gravimetric and AAS-Pt determination methods might be used for solving determination of Pt content in practically unsoluble sample of catalyst. Applied procedure enables testing the catalyst quality and proving its characteristics required for chemical industry.