Ruthenium Applications

Ruthenium, as well as palladium and platinum, is also versatile catalyst used in heterogeneous catalysis, particularly when a well-developed surface is coated by ruthenium. Sometimes it is applied with platinum for increasing the catalytic activity. Rhodium-ruthenium-platinum alloy promotes ammonia oxidation in nitric acid production. Ruthenium catalysts are used for accelerating polymerization of ethylene, glycerol (glycerin or glycerine) and other polyhydric alcohols production by cellulose hydrogenising.

Ruthenium organometallic compounds are used in homogeneous catalysis for various hydrogenising reactions, being as selective and active as rhodium-based catalysts.

The main advantage of ruthenium-based catalysts is their high selectivity which makes possible to use them in synthesis of a great variety of organic and inorganic compounds. They are serious competitors of rhodium, platinum and iridium based catalysts.