Rhodium Wire - Material Information

Rhodium (Rh) is a rare, lustrous, silvery-white transition metal belonging to the platinum group elements (PGEs). It is highly valued for its exceptional resistance to oxidation, superior hardness, and strong electrical conductivity, making rhodium wire a key material for thermocouples, catalysts, and high-precision electrical components.

Material Overview

Rhodium crystallizes in a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure with a lattice constant of 3.80 Å. It possesses a density of 12.41 g/cm³ and an electrical resistivity of approximately 4.9 µ?·cm at 20 °C (Swanger, 2017). Its melting point is extremely high at 1963 °C, and it maintains mechanical integrity even in oxidizing atmospheres beyond 1500 °C. When fabricated as wire, rhodium exhibits high tensile strength and creep resistance, particularly when fine-grained or cold-worked. Studies have demonstrated that properly annealed rhodium wire achieves ductility through controlled temperature reduction during drawing, transitioning from a coarse-grained to a fibrous structure (Swanger, 2017). Recent advances in fine wire manufacturing have enabled diameters as small as 30 µm with excellent dimensional stability (Lee et al., 2021).

Applications and Advantages

Rhodium wire is widely used in precision thermocouples, high-temperature furnace electrodes, and electrical contacts due to its outstanding oxidation and corrosion resistance. Its stable thermoelectric performance against platinum makes it suitable for platinum–rhodium thermocouple systems (Types S and R). In addition, rhodium’s constant spectral reflectance across the visible range and high hardness make it ideal for optical mirrors and high-wear components. Rhodium alloys, particularly with platinum, display superior thermal fatigue resistance and are employed in aerospace instrumentation and glass fiber production (Handley, 1989). The metal’s inertness also supports its use in chemical reaction vessels and crucibles where contamination must be avoided.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow provides high-purity rhodium wire suitable for research and industrial applications demanding electrical stability and corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures. Custom diameters and laboratory quantities are available upon request. Explore rhodium and related platinum group metals through the Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Swanger, W. H. (2017). Melting, Mechanical Working, and Some Physical Properties of Rhodium. U.S. Bureau of Standards. https://scispace.com/papers/melting-mechanical-working-and-some-physical-properties-of-6m4c5b2k6g
• Lee, S.-Y., Lee, I.-K., Lee, S.-K., Hwang, S.-K., & Park, D. (2021). Fabrication of 30 µm fine rhodium wire from 80 µm initial wire using multi-pass drawing process. Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 35(6), 2339–2345. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12206-021-0534-Z
• Handley, J. R. (1989). Properties of binary rhodium alloys. Platinum Metals Review, 33(2), 82–90. https://scispace.com/papers/properties-of-binary-rhodium-alloys-4j7sxl7on7