What is Germanium? Definitions, and Examples

Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a grayish-white metalloid that looks similar to silicon, and is used in semiconductor manufacturing. Germanium is also used in infrared optics and solar energy applications.

What is Germanium?

Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors tin and silicon. Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon. Like silicon, germanium naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature.

Elemental germanium was discovered in 1886 by Clemens Winkler, a chemist working with coal tar. He proposed the name “germanium” for the new element, based on the fact that some of its compounds bear similarities to those of zinc and manganese. The discovery was independently made in late 1887 by Peter Jacobi, who later assigned his find the same name.

Germanium occurs most commonly as a trace impurity in other metals such as zinc ores and lead ores, and is extracted commercially from sphalerite (zinc sulfide) and silver-bearing ores including argentite (silver sulfide) and pyrargyrite.

What is the melting point of Germanium?

The melting point of germanium is 938.25 degrees Celsius.

What is the boiling point of Germanium?

The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which the liquid state of that substance changes to a gas. The boiling point of Germanium is 2820 degrees Celsius. Germanium has a very high boiling point because of the strong bonds between its atoms. When these bonds are broken, a lot of energy is required.

Where is Germanium Found?

The first isolation of pure germanium metal was achieved by Clemens Winkler in 1886. He managed to do this by reducing silver germinate with zinc. Germanium oxide (GeO2) was also known at that time and had already been isolated from certain types of clay minerals such as kieselgur and lechatelierite.

Today, most germanium is obtained from processing flue dusts generated during the burning of certain types of coal. The main mining areas for germanium are in China, Russia, and Canada.

What are the Properties of Germanium?

Germanium has five naturally occurring isotopes and they are all stable except for 71Ge which decays via beta decay with a half-life of 11.4 days. Germanium’s abundance in the Earth’s crust is approximately 1–2 ppm by weight but 3 ppm by moles—making it the 52nd most abundant element; however, its concentration varies significantly depending on location.

The properties of germanium are intermediate between those of silicon and tin. They depend more strongly on impurities than either pure Silicon or Tin, because there are no centers in Germanium that will trap an extra electron or hole as there are in these other two elements (the so-called donors and acceptors). As doped with impurities, both n-type (electron donor) or p-type (hole donor) conductivity can be achieved.

Elemental germanium has several interesting properties that have made it useful in electronics & optics:

* A large band gap of 1.12 eV allowing it to be used as a photocathode material.

What are the Uses of Germanium?

Germanium has a variety of uses, the most common of which is in semiconductor production. Germanium is also used as a dopant in fiber optics and in some optical lenses. It has interesting properties that make it useful in infrared technology and solar cells. Additionally, germanium tetrachloride is used as a catalyst in certain organic reactions.

Is Germanium Toxic?

In its pure form, germanium is a toxic material. However, when it is alloyed with other metals, it becomes non-toxic. For example, germanium is often used as a dopant in semiconductor manufacturing. When added to other materials in small amounts, it can improve the electrical properties of the resulting compound.

Conclusion

Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors silicon and tin. Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon. Like silicon, germanium naturally forms pn junctions.