Platinum products
Wherever platinum goes, the conditions are at their most severe.
From industrial glass furnaces to aerospace, LT Metal keeps extending what platinum can do.
Platinum group metals (Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Os, Ru) combine outstanding heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and electrical properties, making them core materials in glass manufacturing and across many other industries. Pt and Pt alloy equipment for the glass industry stays in contact with molten glass at high temperature for long periods. Its design has to account for contamination from glass constituents and refractories, glass discoloration, bubble formation, wetting, and platinum dissolution, together with mechanical strength, electrical properties, and oxidation resistance at high temperatures. LT Metal supplies platinum products in the optimal material and specification for each application. These properties take the platinum group metals beyond glass manufacturing and into aerospace. In rocket thrusters, platinum group metals act as the catalyst that decomposes hydrazine-based propellant, meeting the demanding requirement of holding catalytic activity stable through repeated ignitions and extreme temperature swings. LT Metal supplies platinum products in the optimal material and specification for each application.
The six PGM elements compared
Which PGM do you need?
| Symbol | Atomic number | Melting point (℃) | Density (g/cm³) | Thermal conductivity (Wm⁻¹K⁻¹) | Primary uses / industries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pt | 78 | 1,769 | 21.45 | 72 | Automotive exhaust emission catalysts, crucibles and bushings for glass fiber and optical fiber, thermocouples, rocket propellant catalysts (hydrazine decomposition), dental and medical, jewelry |
| Rh | 45 | 1,963 | 12.42 | 150 | Automotive three-way catalysts (specialized for NOx reduction), Pt-Rh thermocouples, glass fiber bushing coatings, nitric acid production catalysts (Ostwald process) |
| Pd | 46 | 1,555 | 12.01 | 76 | Automotive catalysts (gasoline engines), MLCC (multilayer ceramic capacitor) electrodes, connectors, dental alloys, hydrogen purification and storage, jewelry |
| Ru | 44 | 2,333 | 12.37 | 105 | HDD media coatings, chip resistors and electrodes (electronics), alternative catalysts for ammonia synthesis, Pt-Ru hardening alloys |
| Ir | 77 | 2,447 | 22.56 | 147 | Crucibles for single-crystal growth (sapphire/LED substrates), spark plug electrodes, attitude-control thruster catalysts for rocket engines, the international prototype meter, medical radiation sources |
| Os | 76 | 3,033 | 22.59 | 87 | Fountain pen nibs, electrical contacts, ultra-hard specialty alloys, limited catalytic uses |
PGM application map by industry
| Symbol | Melting point (℃) | Density (g/cm³) | Hardness (Hv) | Primary uses / industries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pt | 1,769 | 21.45 | 45~55 | Resistance thermometers (Pt100 RTD), thermocouple reference legs, crucibles and crucible linings,catalyst gauze (nitric acid oxidation process), glass fiber bushings |
| Pt-Rh 10% | 1,850 | 20.1 | 85~95 | Type S thermocouples (Pt vs. Pt-Rh10%), bushings and spinnerets for glass fiber and optical fiber manufacturing,catalyst gauze for nitric acid production, high-temperature instrumentation |
| Pt-Rh 20% | 1,885 | 18.1 | 105~115 | High-temperature thermocouples (1,600℃ class and above), glass melting furnace stirrers and crucibles,reinforced catalyst gauze, jigs for single-crystal growth |
| Pt-Rh 40% | 1,963 | 12.40 | 95~110 | Ultra-high-temperature thermocouple wire (1,800℃ and above), crucibles for high-purity single-crystal growth (sapphire and similar),specialty jigs for extreme heat and corrosion resistance |
Supply chain resilience
The LT Metal closed-loop PGM model
PGM supply is concentrated in a few regions, notably South Africa and Russia. When geopolitical risk materializes, sourcing becomes uncertain, and that uncertainty hits manufacturers’ supply chain stability directly. LT Metal recovers PGMs from customers’ spent catalysts, end-of-life materials, and rejected parts through our precious-metal recovery and refining service, then supplies them back. This closed-loop model eases supply chain risk and cuts raw material cost at the same time.
Product lineup
· Packaging: +82-32-820-9694
· Metals (domestic): +82-2-727-2688
· Metals (Overseas): +82-570-2681
Deposition Materials
Deposition pellets and target materials in Pt and Pd. Built on our own refining technology, they combine 3N5 to 4N and higher purity with uniform composition, delivering stable deposition performance in electrode wiring and functional thin-film processes.
Crucibles
Pt and Pt-Rh crucibles for single crystal growth — sapphire and LED substrates — and for high-temperature melting processes. We design the alloy composition and wall thickness to match your operating temperature and atmosphere, minimizing deformation and platinum dissolution even in prolonged ultra-high-temperature use.
Platinum Apparatus
Platinum apparatus used in glass and glass fiber manufacturing, including bushings, spinnerets, stirrers and thermocouples. We design and fabricate them to specifications that suppress coloration, bubble formation and contamination in environments where they stay in contact with molten glass for long periods.
Why LT Metal
Three engineering capabilities
Global customers choose LT Metal because our engineering capability in composition, structure, and reliability delivers the performance and quality they specify. That is our core strength.
We engineer composition.
We supply Pt, Pd, and Rh materials and engineer PGM alloy compositions for your service environment, backed by technical advice on electrochemical stability and more.
We engineer structure.
PGM refining, alloy production, and precision fabrication are all in-house. That gives us consistent quality in material structure and the flexibility to handle everything from small-lot precision machining to custom product development.
We engineer reliability.
We provide closed-loop recovery and refining for every PGM material we supply. Taking back, refining, and re-supplying the material you have used strengthens supply chain stability while supporting resource circularity and your ESG goals.
