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Rhodium is not used as a solid contact material but is applied for example as a electroplated layer in sliding contact systems. Ruthenium is mostly used as an alloying component in the material PdRu15. The metals osmium and iridium have no practical applications in electrical contacts.
Since Pd was for the longest time rather stable in price, it was seen as a substitute for the more expensive gold. This was followed by a steep increase in the Pd price, which caused a significant reduction in its use in electrical contacts. Today (2011Dec. 2021) the Pd palladium price again is lower than that of goldaround 2600 Euro/oz.
Alloys of Pt with Ru, Ir, Ni and W were widely used in electromechanical components in the telecommunication industry and in heavy duty automotive breaker points (<xr id="tab:Physical Properties of the Platinum Metals an their Alloys/>).
