Precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium are widely used in catalysis due to their excellent catalytic properties:
1. High Activity and Selectivity: Precious metal catalysts often exhibit superior activity and selectivity, leading to more efficient processes. 2. Recyclability: Despite their high cost, precious metals can often be recovered and reused, mitigating some of the initial expense. 3. Challenges: The high cost and limited availability of precious metals drive the need for research into more abundant and cheaper alternatives.