# I'm looking for 3 different charts.



## Grelko (Jan 19, 2016)

1. I'm trying to find a complete reactivity chart. The ones that I've found so far, don't even list Palladium, let alone everything else like Gallium, Iridium, Selenium, Rhodium, etc.

2. A list of metals that will dissolve into other certain "molten" metals.

3. A list of metals, that will "cross contaminate" each other when in contact, like gold and silver.


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## Platdigger (Jan 20, 2016)

Not sure that I have seen it in a chart but, Palladium, Iridium, Selenium, Rhodium are all less reactive than copper. I have yet to find out if selenium will cement to copper in the real world, but I believe it does.
It may be like silver and pd. Silver is more reactive than pd, but silver is not good for cementing pd.


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## Grelko (Jan 20, 2016)

So far, I found out that palladium is between silver and platinum. "If this is even correct because of the next sentence"

It's hard to figure out certain ones for sure, since some charts say "Cu, Hg, Ag", and other charts say "Cu, Ag, Hg". I've even come across charts that show Pt above or below Au. Plus the upside-down charts, that have Au at the top.

One chart shows certain ones, another shows some of them, but have a few that aren't on the first chart. I'll probably just combine all of them, once I find out what's accurate, to make a more complete chart, then post it here.

I'm guessing, that some of these charts could be listed differently, depending on what they are put in. "HCl, nitric, sulfuric etc.

I haven't found out much regarding my other questions yet, but I'm still looking.


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## jason_recliner (Jan 21, 2016)

I do know that of all the PGM, Palladium is the most reactive, and Platinum is the least reactive.
But you'll have to do a lot of homework to find the rest. I'm not familiar with them either.


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## FrugalRefiner (Jan 21, 2016)

Grelko, I started a similar project a while back. I've not posted it because I wanted to do more research, but if it helps, here is the basic list I put together.

*NOTE: Oxidation state of each metal can cause differences in different charts e.g.,*
Mercury / Silver
Gold / Platinum

Lithium
Potassium
Barium
Strontium
Calcium
Sodium

Magnesium
Aluminum
Beryllium
Manganese
Zinc
Chromium

Iron
Cadmium
Cobalt
Nickel
Tin
Lead

Hydrogen
Tungsten
Antimony
Arsenic
Bismuth
Copper

Silver
Mercury
Palladium
Platinum
Gold

As noted, many metals can exist in several oxidation states, which can make them more or less reactive. That can change their positions on the chart.

Dave


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## upcyclist (Jan 21, 2016)

I had noticed the same discrepancies and had started to compile my own list. One problem, though, is that I realized that one general chemist's list may not be as applicable as a refining chemist's (or even just a refiner's) list.

I realized that practically, some of it doesn't matter for me as a budding refiner/recovery guy. For example, Lithium or Potassium? Since I don't plan on messing with lithium or its salts and don't know of any in my processing stream, I couldn't care less. Mercury or silver? Well, if it's got mercury, I'm out--so again it doesn't matter. I either keep it out of my domain entirely, and contain it if I realize it has entered my domain. 

Similarly, like Platdigger said, there's an order within PGMs but they're all less reactive than copper. Since I'm not yet dealing with PGMs, I'm hoping that they'll all cement on copper and thus any incidental PGMs stay in my stock pot until I have the knowledge, tools, and time to deal with them.


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## Grelko (Jan 21, 2016)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Grelko, I started a similar project a while back. I've not posted it because I wanted to do more research, but if it helps, here is the basic list I put together.



That's a good list, thank you. 

The wiki page has a couple that aren't on here. "unless you are testing all of this yourself?"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactivity_series

Here's 1 that I found yesterday

It has a chart for some non-metals at the bottom.
View attachment activity_series.pdf


You may have seen this already, but this site has tons of information about each element.
http://www.periodictable.com/Properties/A/StandardName.html


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## Grelko (Jan 21, 2016)

upcyclist said:


> I realized that practically, some of it doesn't matter for me as a budding refiner/recovery guy. For example, Lithium or Potassium? Since I don't plan on messing with lithium or its salts and don't know of any in my processing stream, I couldn't care less. Mercury or silver? Well, if it's got mercury, I'm out--so again it doesn't matter. I either keep it out of my domain entirely, and contain it if I realize it has entered my domain.



I won't be experimenting with any of that other stuff until I get a proper lab setup. I just want to learn everything that I can about all of this, since computers have Se, As, Be, Cd and many others, that I could be exposed to, even if I'm just recovering certain parts instead of refining them.


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## FrugalRefiner (Jan 21, 2016)

It's good to have some idea of where things fall. Just keep in mind that there are variables that can cause real world experiences to be different than those you find in a list. As I mentioned in my list, the oxidation state of the ions is probably the greatest. I expect it's the main reason some lists have gold below platinum, while others reverse that order.

As with trying to precipitate hydroxides by raising the pH, there is a range and there can be overlap, so it's not as easy as cementing gold with platinum, then cementing platinum with palladium, etc. Copper works well to cement everything below it because the difference between copper and all the noble metals is large. Likewise, iron works dependably in dropping everything below it. But the difference between cadmium and cobalt is not as great, so the reaction may be incomplete. 

Of course, a metal has to be soluble in your particular solution to work. You wouldn't succeed in trying to cement gold out of a weak chloride solution with silver since it is virtually insoluble in that solution.

Just some things to consider. I'm sure there are others.

Dave


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## Grelko (Jan 21, 2016)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Just some things to consider. I'm sure there are others.



I can't remember who said, that you can learn about this for many years and just barely scratch the surface, but they were absolutely right. :lol: I've been reading a few hours per day for at least 6 months straight.

Here's a bit more information about the Platinium Group reactivity.
Pages 332, 333. Reaction of PGMs with oxygen, attack of PGMs by mineral acids.

https://books.google.com/books?id=j3OSKTCuO00C&pg=PA332&lpg=PA332&dq=pgm+group+reactivity&source=bl&ots=W81CkYuxIV&sig=9QjNMWIH7KCNgyEU9Sgj3qjFbfc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_gYLG87vKAhXHXhoKHeMxCYQ4ChDoAQgkMAI#v=onepage&q=pgm%20group%20reactivity&f=false

This page has a small reactivity and reaction chart, that tells you a couple different things about each one and how the reactions take place. 2CuOs + Cs --> 2Cus + CO2g and others. (reactions with water, steam, HCl, H2SO4 etc.)

http://www.tutorvista.com/content/science/science-ii/metals-non-metals/reconcept-series-metals.php#


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