Assuming the linked chart is accurate, it seems that ruthenium is currently about half the cost of palladium, however it has in the past been much more - up to $800 per ounce.
Current price of palladium: $237 per ounce
Current price of ruthenium: $80-90 per ounce
Impressive, I don't think I've ever heard of someone creating what's basically a man-made enzyme. It's a bonus that this will provide a great step toward usable, cheap hydrogen.
> ‘Because hydrogen peroxide is considered a relatively unstable molecule, scientists have always disregarded this step, deeming it implausible; but we have shown otherwise,’
Worth remembering when you're trying to do something new.
Anyone know if the metal/organic catalyst is toxic?
>> Anyone know if the metal/organic catalyst is toxic?
I don't know about ruthenium in particular, but almost all heavy metals are toxic to humans. That's because they can often substitute for similar, desirable metals (almost always lighter) in various biomolecules, but not function properly when substituted. In other words, the heavy metals are similar enough to bind to some active site, but not similar enough to perform the correct function. Ruthenuium's properties are very similar to iron's, which sounds like trouble.
No, the "metal-organic" catalyst mentioned in the article. It's apparently a "metal complex of the element ruthenium". H2O2 is produced as an intermediate product. My comment only makes sense in the context of the article. :-)
