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From National Gallery of Art.

The platinum print process is based on the characteristics of light-sensitive iron salts, which react with platinum salts to form platinum metal. A sheet of paper is coated with a solution of these salts to make it sensitive to light. Once dry, the sensitized paper is exposed to UV light through a 1:1 negative image film, Tray processed (developed), residual non converted metals are cleared, and then washed. dried, flattened

The print’s hue may range from charcoal gray to sepia depending on the chemical properties of the sensitizer and developer. Various image hues can also be achieved by adjusting the moisture content of the sensitized paper and/or the temperature at which a print is developed. Further chemical additions to the sensitizer and/or developer provide seemingly endless options for fine-tuning the appearance of the photograph.

The first commercially manufactured platinum paper was introduced in 1879 by British inventor William Willis Jr., who perfected the process over the following decades, gradually expanding the variety of his Platinotype Company products. A chemical variant of the platinum process was introduced in 1887 by Austrian Giuseppe Pizzighelli and marketed by several manufacturers in Europe and the United States.

Unlike a gelatin silver print, the image in a platinum print is absorbed directly into the paper, taking on its 3D characteristics. Thus, the paper upon which a platinum print is made affects the characteristics of the finished print. An untreated paper will yield a matte print with a softer and less-detailed image than one made, for example, on a paper that has been chemically modified to impart a sheen, such as the Platinotype Company’s Japine papers, first introduced in 1906.

Inconsistencies in paper manufacturing  and supply has made the platinum/palladium print a rare commodity, causing the cost of materials and finished print

Platinum/Palladium Printing produces a beautiful cool tone or warm tone image on fine watercolor paper or 100% cotton printing paper. The artist uses a brush or coating rod to apply the light sensitive emulsion to the paper, then a contact negative is exposed under intense ultraviolet light. All work can be conducted under normal tungsten or fluorescent lighting, so no safelight is necessary. All of our kits contain the necessary chemistry to make 25-35 8×10 images. For these kits, we recommend using 100% cotton rag paper, such as Arches Platine, Revere Platinum, and Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag.

https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/product-category/alternative-process-kits/platinum-palladium-printing-process/

A platinum/palladium print is a type of photographic print made using a traditional, labor-intensive process that creates a unique, fine-art image. It involves hand-coating paper with a light-sensitive solution containing platinum and palladium salts, then contact printing the image using ultraviolet light. These prints are highly prized for their archival quality, subtle yet wide tonal range, and rich, matte finish.