Tellurium
🔩 In Your World
Tellurium is a rare metalloid that improves the properties of other metals. It is primarily used in alloys, especially with steel and copper, to make them easier to machine. As a semiconductor, it's a key component in highly efficient solar panels (cadmium telluride) and in thermoelectric devices that can convert heat directly into electricity.
📖 The Discovery Story
Tellurium was discovered in 1782 by Austrian mineralogist Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein in a gold ore from Transylvania. He knew he had found a new element but couldn't fully identify it. In 1798, German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth confirmed the discovery and named the new element "tellurium" from the Latin word tellus, meaning "earth."
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 449.51 °C / 841.12 °F |
| Boiling Point | 988 °C / 1810 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d¹⁰5s²5p⁴ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0000001% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Tellurium and its compounds are considered toxic. A notable and unusual effect of exposure is the development of "tellurium breath," a strong garlic-like odor on the breath and sweat of those exposed, which can last for weeks or months.