Scientists in the US have succeeded in breaking through the "oxo-wall" to forge multiple stable chemical bonds between oxygen and platinum.

The breakthrough is being widely hailed as a significant achievement because the process was previously thought to be impossible, and could yield a host of new potential applications.

Emory University researchers pioneered the research, which is being seen as a major development in the fields of fuel cells and catalytic converters.

Previously efforts to create 'metal-oxo' species using elements such as platinum, iridium and rhodium had failed, but Travis Anderson, lead post-doctoral researcher, explained how the team had succeeded.

"Oxygen is usually very unreactive in its molecular state as O₂, or, when you do break the bond, it reacts uncontrollably. In nature, iron is one of the most versatile elements in its ability to control oxygen, and can pluck a single oxygen atom and transfer it where it wants to go.

"We wanted to take what nature knows how to do with iron, and do it ourselves with other metals," he added.

Principal Emory investigator Professor Craig Hill said the move should "provide new insights and break new ground", adding that the focus on platinum would be the next key step.

Stable compounds of platinum and oxygen can play a key role in the operation of automobile catalytic converters.