Tellurium,Te

Properties

• Name: Tellurium
• Atomic Number: 52
• Chemical Symbol: Te
• Electronic Configuration: [Kr]5s²4d¹⁰5p⁴
• Abundance:
  • Earth: 0.01 ppm
• Discovery: von Reichenstein (1782)
• Ocurrence:
  • Altaite PbTe
  • Calaverite (Ag,Au)₂Te
  • Hessite Ag₂Te
  • Nagyagite Pb₅Au(Te,Sb)₄S_5-8
  • Tellurite TeO₂
  • Tellurium Te
  • Tetradymite Bi₂(Te,S)₃
• Most Common Elementary Substance : Te_x
• Elementary Substance Class : semi-metallic
• Origin : Natural
• Physical State : Solid
• Density [298K] : 6240 Kg m^-3
• Price : ~ 24 USD
• Cristal Lattice : hexagonal
• Melting Point : 722.66 K
• Boiling Point : 1261 K
• Electrical Conductivity [298K] : 229.36 Ohm^-1m^-1
• Thermal Conductivity [300K] :2.35 W m^-1K^-1
• Heat of:
  • Fusion: 17.49 kJ mol^-1
  • Vaporization: 52.55 kJ mol^-1
  • Atomization: 197 kJ mol^-1

Crystalline tellurium has a silvery-white appearance, and when pure exhibits a metallic luster. It is brittle and easily pulverized.

Sources

Tellurium is occasionally found native, but is more often found as the telluride of gold (calaverite), and combined with other metals. It is recovered commercially from the anode muds that are produced during the electrolytic refining of blister copper. The U.S., Canada, Peru, and Japan are the largest Free World producers of the element.

Uses

Tellurium improves the machinability of copper and stainless steel, and its addition to lead decreases the corrosive action of sulfuric acid on lead and improves its strength and hardness. Tellurium is used as a basic ingredient in blasting caps, and is added to cast iron for chill control. Tellurium is used in ceramics. Bismuth telluride has been used in thermoelectric devices.

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