13494-80-9

CAS Nr.:

13494-80-9

Tellur

EINECS Name:

Tellur

236-813-4

EINECS Nr.:

236-813-4

Tellur

Synonym:

Tellur

Tellurium – A Strategic Raw Material for Modern Industry and High-Tech Applications. Tellurium is a rare, silvery-white metalloid and belongs to the group of chalcogens. Due to its unique physical and chemical properties, tellurium plays an important role in numerous industrial applications, particularly in electronics, metallurgy, and energy technology. The raw material is usually obtained as a by-product of copper refining and is considered a strategically important element for modern technologies.

Physical Properties of Tellurium

Tellurium is a brittle, crystalline metalloid with a metallic luster. It has a molar mass of 127.60 g/mol and a density of approximately 6.24 g/cm³. The melting point of tellurium is about 449.5 °C, while its boiling point is around 988 °C. The element has relatively low electrical conductivity, which can be significantly improved through doping with other elements. Tellurium is chemically relatively stable but reacts with oxygen or halogens at elevated temperatures. Due to its semiconducting properties, tellurium is frequently used in electronic materials.

Examples of Applications of Tellurium

One of the most important applications of tellurium is the production of cadmium telluride solar cells (CdTe). These thin-film photovoltaic modules are among the most efficient technologies for industrial solar power generation and play an important role in the global energy transition.

Tellurium is often used as an alloying element in metals such as steel, copper, and lead. The addition of small amounts improves machinability, strength, and corrosion resistance of these metals. Tellurium-containing alloys are widely used in the automotive and mechanical engineering industries.

In electronics, tellurium is used in the production of specialized semiconductor materials, for example in combination with bismuth or cadmium. These materials are applied in thermoelectric modules, sensors, and infrared detectors.

Tellurium compounds such as bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) are used in thermoelectric generators that can convert heat directly into electrical energy. This technology is applied in industrial systems, automotive technology, and aerospace applications.

Tellurium is a strategically important raw material for numerous high-tech applications. Its unique physical properties make it an indispensable material in the solar industry, metallurgy, electronics, and thermoelectric technologies. With the growing demand for renewable energy and innovative electronic solutions, the importance of tellurium will continue to increase in the future.