Group 10 element

"Group 10" redirects here. For the rugby league competition, see Group 10 Rugby League.

Group 10 in the periodic table
group 9 ←    → group 11
IUPAC group number 10 Name by element nickel group CAS group number (US) part of VIIIB old IUPAC number (European) part of VIII
↓ Period
4	Nickel (Ni) 28 Transition metal
5	Palladium (Pd) 46 Transition metal
6	Platinum (Pt) 78 Transition metal
7	Darmstadtium (Ds) 110 unknown chemical properties
Legend primordial element synthetic element Atomic number color: black=solid

Group 10 (by current IUPAC style) is a group of elements in the periodic table, which consists of nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and darmstadtium (Ds). All are d-block transition metals. All known isotopes of Ds are radioactive with short half-lives, and it is not known to occur in nature; only minute quantities have been synthesized in laboratories.

Like other groups, the members of this family show patterns in its electron configuration, especially the outermost shells (though for this family it is particularly weak with palladium being an exceptional case). The relativistic stabilization of the 7s orbital is the explanation to the unusual electron configuration of darmstadtium.

Chemistry

Z	Element	No. of electrons per shell
28	nickel	2, 8, 17, 1
46	palladium	2, 8, 18, 18
78	platinum	2, 8, 18, 32, 17, 1
110	darmstadtium	2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 16, 2

Darmstadtium has not been isolated in pure form, and its properties have not been conclusively observed; only nickel, palladium, and platinum have had their properties experimentally confirmed. All three elements are typical silvery-white transition metals, hard, and have high melting and boiling points.

Properties

Group 10 metals are white to light grey in color, and possess a high luster, a resistance to tarnish (oxidation) at STP, are highly ductile, and enter into oxidation states of +2 and +4, with +1 being seen in special conditions. The existence of a +3 state is debated, as the state could be an illusory state created by +2 and +4 states. Theory suggests that group 10 metals may produce a +6 oxidation state under precise conditions, but this remains to be proven conclusively in the laboratory.

Applications

The group 10 metals share several uses. These include:

• Decorative purposes, in the form of jewelry and electroplating.
• Catalysts in a variety of chemical reactions.
• Metal Alloys.
• Electrical components, due to their predictable changes in electrical resistivity with regard to temperature.
• Superconductors, as components in alloys with other metals.

Biological role and toxicity

Nickel has an important role in the biochemistry of organisms, as part of the active center of enzymes. None of the other group 10 elements have a known biological role, but platinum compounds have widely been used as anticancer drugs. Asides from nickel, the elements are toxic for organisms.

See also

• Platinum group