Household items

Fountain pens

One of the first uses for osmium and iridium was as a coating for fountain pen nibs. This is still the case today, both as individual metals and alloyed together. Osmium can be used to produce hard alloys which find their way into ball point pen tips, fountain pen tips, record player needles, compass needles and electrical contacts.

Due to their hardness, the performance and longevity of nibs, which would otherwise face rapid friction corrosion, is greatly enhanced.

Glassware glaze

To improve the look of glassware, glazes are applied containing platinum which help maintain enduring colour and lustre.

Platinum glazes can also be used to enhance engraving on glass.

Razor coating

An everyday object in everyone's bathrooms, both male and female razors have their sharpness and longevity enhanced by a coating of platinum (normally alloyed to chromium) which helps prevent friction corrosion.

Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors

Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors save lives from domestic fires and CO poisoning. They are crucial appliances in millions of houses and platinum plays a key role in each.

In CO detectors, a mixture including platinum isotopes is reduced to platinum metal by the presence of CO and changes colour, warning of the poisonous gasses’ presence.

As a smoke detector might only be used after long periods of inaction, its components must be durable and reliable which is why platinum - with its corrosion resistance, durability and conductivity - is used.