Te
127.600Tellurium
Tellür
Tellurium is a rare metalloid with atomic number 52. It is important in cadmium telluride solar cells, bismuth telluride thermoelectrics, phase-change materials, machinable copper alloys and the distinctive tellurium breath effect.
52
127.6 g/mol
[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴
2 | 8 | 18 | 18 | 6
2.1
6.232 g/cm³
449.5 °C
987.9 °C
Franz-Joseph Müller
Tellurium was discovered in 1782 by Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein in Transylvanian gold ores. Martin Heinrich Klaproth later confirmed the discovery and named it after tellus, the Latin word for Earth.
Tellurium-120
Natural abundance: About 0.09%. Rare stable isotope.Tellurium-122
Natural abundance: About 2.6%. Stable isotope of tellurium.Tellurium-123
Natural abundance: About 0.9%. Stable isotope used in NMR studies.Tellurium-124
Natural abundance: About 4.7%. Stable isotope of tellurium.Tellurium-125
Natural abundance: About 7.1%. NMR-active stable isotope.Tellurium-126
Natural abundance: About 18.8%. Stable isotope of tellurium.Tellurium-128
Natural abundance: About 31.7%. Very long-lived double beta decay isotope.Tellurium-130
Natural abundance: About 34.1%. Most abundant isotope; studied in double beta decay experiments.CdTe
Cadmium TellurideCommercial thin-film photovoltaic absorber.Bi₂Te₃
Bismuth TellurideThermoelectric cooling and power-generation material.TeO₂
Tellurium DioxideAcousto-optic devices, specialty glass and optical materials.H₂Te
Hydrogen TellurideHighly toxic hydride used mainly in research context.- Cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells
- Bismuth telluride thermoelectric modules for Peltier cooling and waste-heat power generation
- GeSbTe phase-change alloys for rewritable media and memory devices
- Machinability additive in copper and steel alloys
- Rubber vulcanization accelerators and specialty catalysts
Tellurium has no known essential biological role. Exposure to some tellurium compounds can produce dimethyl telluride in the body, causing a strong garlic-like odor known as tellurium breath.
- Tellurium breath is caused by volatile dimethyl telluride and can give breath a powerful garlic odor.
- Cadmium telluride solar cells use much less absorber material than conventional silicon wafers.
- Bismuth telluride is one of the classic room-temperature thermoelectric materials.
- Tellurium-128 has an extraordinarily long double beta decay half-life.
- Tellurium has atomic number 52 and belongs to group 16, the chalcogens.
- Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴.
- Tellurium is a metalloid, while oxygen and sulfur in the same group are nonmetals.
- Remember CdTe for solar cells and Bi₂Te₃ for thermoelectric devices.
What is the atomic number of tellurium?
The atomic number of tellurium is 52.
What is the electron configuration of tellurium?
Tellurium has the electron configuration [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴.
What is tellurium used for?
Tellurium is used in CdTe solar cells, Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectrics, phase-change alloys, machinable copper alloys and rubber processing.
What is cadmium telluride used for?
Cadmium telluride is used as the absorber semiconductor in commercial thin-film solar cells.
What is tellurium breath?
Tellurium breath is the garlic-like odor caused when tellurium compounds are metabolized to volatile dimethyl telluride.
Is tellurium rare?
Yes. Tellurium is a relatively rare element in Earth’s crust and is often recovered as a byproduct of copper refining.