Germanium
For wide-angle lenses.
Atomic Number: 32
Atomic Symbol: Ge
Atomic Weight: 72.59
Electron Configuration:[Ar]4s^2 3d^10 4p^2History
(Latin Germania, Germany) Mendeleev predicted the existence of Germanium in 1871 as ekasilicon, and
the element was discovered by Winkler in 1886.
Sources
The metal is found in
l argyrodite, a sulfide of germanium and silver ;
l germanite, which contains 8 percent of the element;
l zinc ores;
l coal; and
l other minerals.The element is commercially obtained from the dusts of smelters processing zinc ores, as well as
recovered from combustion by-products of certain coals. A large reserve of the elements for future uses
in insured in coal sources.
Germanium can be separated from other metals by fractional distillation of its volatile tetrachloride. The
techniques permit the production of germanium of ultra-high purity.
Properties
The element is a gray-white metalloid. In its pure state, the element is crystalline and brittle, retaining its
luster in air at room temperature. It is a very important semiconductor material. Zone-refining techniques
have led to production of crystalline germanium for semiconductor use with an impurity of only one part
in 10 10.
Germanium