Electrical resistance of platinum wires during annealing and quenching in air and helium

Electrical resistance of platinum wires annealed and quenched in air and helium was measured. No irreversible changes of the electrical resistance were observed in specimens treated in helium, however, these changes were appreciable in specimens treated in air. By measurement at two temperatures the total change was divided into the change of the electrical resistivity and the change of geometrical dimensions. The changes of geometrical dimensions were interpreted in terms of the oxidation of platinum and the activation energy of oxidation of platinum was determined asE=(1.79±0.04) eV.