PtRh

PtRh is a stable, metallic alloy of platinum and rhodium used primarily as a high-performance catalyst.

Crystal structure of PtRh (trigonal, R-3m (No. 166))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About PtRh

PtRh is a metallic alloy composed of platinum and rhodium, belonging to the class of platinum-group alloy catalysts. Its electronic structure is characterized by metallic behavior, lacking a band gap, which is typical for conductive noble metal systems. This compound is recognized for its thermodynamic stability, placing it near the convex hull and suggesting high potential for successful laboratory synthesis. The material is supported by a significant body of structural data across multiple databases, reflecting its importance in catalytic research. Its primary utility lies in high-temperature industrial processes where the synergy between platinum and rhodium provides exceptional durability and catalytic activity.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for PtRh, aggregated across 5 databases.

Band Gap

Metallic / not reported

Energy Above Hull

0.019 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

Near hull (likely stable)
3 DFT sources

Structures

32
5 databases, 12 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of PtRh. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: medium

Hull Spread

0.000 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

2
jarvis, materials_project

Space Group Consensus

All match
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for PtRh, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
R-3m (No. 166)trigonal0.000.0193-37.82217.00
Cm (No. 8)Monoclinic17.56
P21/m (No. 11)Monoclinic15.82
Cmcm (No. 63)Orthorhombic13.37
Cmme (No. 67)Orthorhombic18.45
P4mm (No. 99)Tetragonal18.16
P4/nmm (No. 129)Tetragonal13.55
P4mm (No. 99)Tetragonal16.60
Cm (No. 8)Monoclinic14.76
P4/nmm (No. 129)Tetragonal12.76
Cmme (No. 67)Orthorhombic16.45
Pmma (No. 51)Orthorhombic13.46
Uses

Applications

Where PtRh is used.

Industrial catalysisHigh-temperature chemical processingAutomotive exhaust treatment
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about PtRh, answered from cross-validated data.

What is PtRh?

PtRh is a stable, metallic alloy of platinum and rhodium used primarily as a high-performance catalyst.

More questions
What is PtRh used for?
PtRh is used in industrial catalysis, high-temperature chemical processing, and automotive exhaust treatment.
What is the band gap of PtRh?
PtRh is computed to be metallic (no band gap) in the reported DFT structures.
Is PtRh a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Computed band structures report no gap, so it is metallic.
Is PtRh thermodynamically stable?
PtRh has a lowest energy above hull of 0.019 eV/atom (near hull (likely stable)).
What is the crystal structure of PtRh?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of PtRh is trigonal symmetry, space group R-3m (No. 166).
What is the density of PtRh?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of PtRh is 17.00 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of PtRh are known?
32 structures of PtRh are reported across 5 databases, spanning 12 distinct space groups.
What elements does PtRh contain?
PtRh contains Pt and Rh (2 elements).
Where does the data for PtRh come from?
PtRh data is cross-referenced from materials_project, mpaloe.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the platinum-group alloy catalysts class.

Within the diverse family of platinum-group alloys, PtRh stands out as a highly stable metallic system compared to more complex intermetallic counterparts like As2Pt or Ga2Ru. While many members of this class, such as LaRh or BaPd, exhibit distinct electronic properties based on their specific stoichiometry, PtRh maintains the classic metallic character expected of noble metal binary alloys, making it a reliable benchmark for catalytic performance in harsh environments.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Platinum-Group Alloy Catalysts in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
  • mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.

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