Palladium (Pd)
Element 46 · Transition metal · atomic mass 106.42 u · group 10, period 5
Electron shells: 2, 8, 18, 18
Palladium absorbs an extraordinary amount of hydrogen for its size and is a workhorse catalyst in both cars and laboratories. It shares most of platinum's chemistry at a different price.
Palladium can soak up over 900 times its own volume in hydrogen gas.
- Atomic number
- 46
- Atomic mass
- 106.42 u
- Electron configuration
- [Kr] 4d¹⁰
- Group · period · block
- 10 · 5 · d
- Oxidation states
- +2, +3, +4
- Electronegativity
- 2.2 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 1,555 °C
- Boiling point
- 2,963 °C
- Density
- 12 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Silvery-white metal
- Discovered
- William Hyde Wollaston, 1803
46 protons, and 46 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Nickel group
What Palladium is used for
- Catalytic converters
- Electronics and multilayer capacitors
- Hydrogen purification and storage
- Dentistry and jewellery
Atomic structure of Palladium
A neutral palladium atom has 46 protons and 46 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 60 neutrons, which is where the mass number 106 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of palladium; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 18, 18. In orbital notation that is [Kr] 4d¹⁰. As a d-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Palladium's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Palladium sits in the periodic table
The d-block. Multiple stable oxidation states give them coloured compounds, catalytic ability and the strength that makes them the working metals of industry.
Discovery and naming
Palladium was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. Its name comes from The asteroid Pallas, which is also why its symbol (Pd) does not match its English name.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Palladium?
The standard atomic weight of Palladium is 106.42 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Palladium have?
Palladium has 46 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Palladium at all. A neutral Palladium atom has the same number of electrons, 46. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 60, since 106 − 46 = 60.
What is the electron configuration of Palladium?
The electron configuration of Palladium is [Kr] 4d¹⁰. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 18, 18 across 4 shells.
Is Palladium a metal?
Yes. Palladium is classified as a transition metal, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Palladium in?
Palladium is in group 10 (the nickel group), period 5, in the d-block. The group is its column and the period is its row.
What is the charge of Palladium?
Palladium most commonly forms a 2+ or 4+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound. Across all its compounds it shows oxidation states of +2, +3, +4.
What is the melting point of Palladium?
Palladium melts at 1,555 °C and boils at 2,963 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Palladium used for?
Catalytic converters, Electronics and multilayer capacitors, Hydrogen purification and storage, Dentistry and jewellery. Palladium absorbs an extraordinary amount of hydrogen for its size and is a workhorse catalyst in both cars and laboratories.
Who discovered Palladium, and where does its name come from?
Palladium (Pd) was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. The name comes from The asteroid Pallas.