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David

Darling

tellurium

tellurium

Tellurium. Image copyright: smart-elements.com .


Tellurium (Te) is a silvery-white, metalloid element in group VIA of the periodic table, occurring as heavy-metal tellurides, and extracted as a by-product of copper refining. Tellurium resembles selenium in its chemistry, but is rather more metallic; tellurium (IV) compounds resemble platinum (IV). It is added to metals to make them easier to machine and to lead for greater corrosion resistance; bismuth telluride is used in thermoelectric devices.

 

blue
atomic number 52
relative atomic mass 127.6
relative density 6.24
melting point 450°C (842°F)
boiling point 1,390°C (2,534°F)