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tellurium

Tellurium is a chemical element with the symbol Te and atomic number 52. It is classified as a metalloid, exhibiting properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals. Tellurium occurs in the Earth's crust in small amounts, primarily in telluride minerals and as a byproduct of refining copper and nickel. The element was identified in 1782 by Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein, and the name, chosen by Martin Klaproth, derives from the Latin tellus, meaning earth.

In terms of physical properties, tellurium is a brittle, silvery-white element with a metallic luster. It is

Tellurium occurs naturally in telluride minerals such as calaverite (AuTe2) and sylvanite (AuAgTe4). Production is mainly

Applications of tellurium include thermoelectric materials (for example, certain telluride-based compounds) and photovoltaic devices using cadmium

Tellurium and many of its compounds are toxic. Exposure can affect the respiratory and nervous systems, and

a
semiconductor
with
moderate
electrical
conductivity
and
typically
exhibits
p-type
behavior.
Its
melting
point
is
722.66°C
and
its
boiling
point
is
988°C.
Tellurium
forms
a
variety
of
compounds,
including
oxides
such
as
TeO2
and
TeO3,
and
it
commonly
adopts
oxidation
states
of
-2,
+4,
and
+6.
as
a
byproduct
of
copper
refining,
with
smaller
amounts
recovered
from
nickel
and
other
ore
processing.
Refined
tellurium
metal
is
used
in
several
high-tech
applications
due
to
its
semiconducting
and
thermoelectric
properties.
telluride
(CdTe)
in
solar
cells.
It
is
also
employed
in
phase-change
memory
alloys
such
as
Ge2Sb2Te5,
in
specialty
glass,
pigments,
and
to
improve
the
machinability
of
steel
in
some
alloys.
odor
changes
may
occur
with
some
tellurium
compounds,
producing
a
characteristic
garlic-like
breath
due
to
volatile
tellurium
species.