Palladium, a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal, is analyzed in thermal analysis due to its high melting point and distinctive thermophysical properties.
In the laboratory, palladium was measured using the STA PT 1600 system, producing the melting curve depicted. The measurement was performed at a rate of 5 K/min in a nitrogen atmosphere, utilizing 5.6 mg of palladium wire. The resulting DTA curve demonstrates a distinct endothermic peak, indicative of the melting process of palladium, with an onset at 1554.3°C and an offset at 1559.3°C. The integral of the peak area, which is -157.3 mJ/mg, represents the heat of fusion. Such precise measurements of the melting behavior and heat of fusion are crucial for calibrating DSC instruments, ensuring their accuracy in thermal analysis across various research and industrial applications.