It is an important semiconductor material used in transistors. The existence of germanium was predicted by dmitri mendeleev in 1869, almost two decades before it was discovered. Today, germanium is primarily obtained from the smelting of zinc ores and from the byproducts of burning certain types. It is also used in metal alloys, in fluorescent lamps and as a chemical catalyst. This ekasilicon was discovered in 1886 by clemens winkler, who named it germanium in honor of his fatherland. Germanium and its oxide are transparent to infrared light. Mendeleev provisionally called the predicted element eka. First proposed to exist by dmitri mendeleyev in 1871 based on gaps in his newly created periodic table of elements, germanium was discovered by the german chemist clemens winkler in the mineral argyrodite ag 8 ges 6 in 1886. Germanium is stable in air and water, and is unaffected by alkalis and acids, except nitric acid.
Kazuhiko asai, who first invented the organic germanium compound germanium sesquioxide ge2, was surprised when he discovered that the coal contains high amounts of germanium. Germanium was an element whose existence was predicted by mendeleev in 1871. It is a lustrous, hardbrittle, grayishwhite metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbours silicon and tin. In the case of germanium the crystalline structure is cubic.
He suggested therefore the name ekasilicon symbol es. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken english. Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol ge and atomic number 32. Nci thesaurus ncit germide 4 is a monoatomic tetraanion and an elemental germanium. Germanium was discovered in 1886 by a chemist named winkler and was named after germany. His predictions for the properties of germanium are remarkably close to the reality. Ge74 is used for the production of as74, ge76 for the production of as77, ge74 for the production of as73 and ge72 for as72. Strainfree epitaxy of germanium film on mica sciencedaily. Germanium is a grayishwhite metalloid and was discovered by the germany chemist clemens winkler in 1886. It has a diamondlike crystalline structure and it is similar in chemical and physical properties to silicon. While today germanium is considered a valuable semiconductor, when it was originally discovered, it was believed to a weakly conducting metal without much use. The name germanium finds its origin from the latin word germania.
Germanium has semiconductor properties, and its main use is in transistors. In its elemental form, germanium is a brittle grayish white semimetallic element. Germanium was one of the elements whose existence was predicted in 1869 by russian chemist dmitri mendeleev, after he noticed a gap between silicon and tin in his periodic table. Named for the country of germany, germanium is not considered a metal, despite its metallic grayishwhite appearance.
Germanium oxide has a high index of refraction and dispersion. Nov 17, 2017 strainfree epitaxy of germanium film on mica date. In the above, the most intense ion is set to 100% since this corresponds best to the output from a mass spectrometer. Although germanium was not discovered until 1886 by clemens winkler, a german chemist, its existence, properties, and position in the periodic system had been predicted in 1871 by the russian chemist dmitry. Some people promote it as a treatment for hiv and aids, cancer, and other conditions. Winkler in 1886, in germany, in a mineral sample from a silver mine. Chloride materials can be decomposed by electrolysis to chlorine gas and the metal. Germanium is a mineral found in the soil, in foods and many healing herbs such as aloe vera, garlic and ginseng. It has a high index of refraction and low optical dispersion. We supplies germanium powder, organic germanium powder, germanium, organic germanium, germanium sesquioxide, ge2, ge2. Today, however, other semiconductors have replaced it.
Germanium was also discovered in a mineral called argyrodite by clemens alexander winkler in 1886. The most common use of germanium is as a semiconductor. He predicted that the then unknown element germanium should resemble silicon in its properties. Germanium acts as a semiconductor, commonly doped with arsenic and other elements and used as a transistor in different electronic applications. In 1885, a new ore was found in a mine near freiberg, germany. Germanium simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Although germanium was not discovered until 1886 by clemens winkler, a german chemist, its existence, properties, and position in the periodic system had been predicted in.
Analysis indicated the sample a rather rare mineral called argyrodite contained 73 75% silver, 17 18% sulfur, 0. He named it ekasilicon based on its position on the periodic table. There is a lot of cool facts about germanium that people dont know. Germanium is an element with atomic symbol ge, atomic number 32, and atomic weight 72. While today germanium is considered a valuable semiconductor.
Thus the three nationalist elementsgallium in france, scandium in sweden, and germanium in germanywere all discovered within fifteen years after their prediction by the great russian chemist. Germanium ge, a chemical element between silicon and tin in group 14 iva of the periodic table, a silverygray metalloid, intermediate in properties between the metals and the nonmetals. Germanium has been reported to improve the immune system, boost the bodys oxygen supply, make a person feel more energetic, and destroy damaging free radicals. Germanium, discovered in 1886 by clemens winkler, historically played an important role in what has come to be known as the semiconductor age. Jan 23, 2020 germanium and its oxide are transparent to infrared light. Webelements periodic table germanium historical information. When pure, germanium is a grayishwhite, hard metalloid, which is a type of element that has some characteristics of both metals and nonmetals. Germanium optical properties germanium also has high opacity across the entire visible spectrum, making the windows ideal for applications where transmission of ir wavelengths only is desired. In 1886ad, germanium was discovered by german chemist, clemens alexander winkler. Pure germanium is a hard, lustrous, graywhite, brittle metalloid. Since coal is produced by decay and compaction of plant matter, asai assumed that germanium could be found in certain types of plants. Germanium can be combined with silicon to form alloys that are rapidly becoming an important semiconductor material, for use in high speed integrated circuits. Play in new window download silicon gets all the press, but germanium was the real trailblazer of the information age.
Germanium is a chemical element that can be found in trace amounts in some ores and carbonbased materials. It did not become economically significant until after 1945, when its properties as a semiconductor in electronics were recognized. Today, germanium is primarily obtained from the smelting of zinc ores and from the byproducts of burning certain types of coal. Germanium has semiconductor properties, and its main use is. Germanium ii chloride germanium dichloride is an excellent water soluble crystalline germanium source for uses compatible with chlorides. They are often made from germanium to which small amounts of arsenic, gallium, or other metals. Chloride compounds can conduct electricity when fused or dissolved in water. One year later, it was isolated from the uncommon mineral argyrodite ag 8 ges 6 by the chemist clemens w inkler 1. The path to the discovery of this element began in 1885 when a new mineral called argyrodite was discovered in germany. You will find many other elements that were named after people or places as you study the elements of the periodic table. The chemical element germanium is classed as a metalloid. Along with basic atom element information like germanium crystal structure and all the other atomic data, it also comes with color coded info about. A history of germanium by emily darby van heuvelen lab. Germanium, a chemical element between silicon and tin in group 14 iva of the periodic table, a silverygray metalloid, intermediate in properties between the metals and the nonmetals.
Germanium cas 7440564 scbt santa cruz biotechnology. When germanium is doped with arsenic, gallium, or other elements, it is used as a transistor element in thousands of electronic applications. Germanium is a chemical element which naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature. Like silicon, germanium naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature. Why is silicon preferred over germanium in preparing diode. The health benefits of germanium janet starr hull, ph. Germanium is too reactive to be found naturally on earth in its native state. One of bell labs publicity photos promoting the transistor, featuring john bardeen, walter brattain, and william shockley. Sure looks metallic it is very reactive and not found easily in nature germanium is a chemical element with symbol ge and atomic numb.
The addition of a closely spaced second contact led to the first all. Germanium definition of germanium by merriamwebster. Germanium belongs to the carbon family and used in electronic devices as semiconductors. Oct 08, 2019 germanium is a chemical element that can be found in trace amounts in some ores and carbonbased materials. It was the first element used to construct transistors and semiconductors, and has a new use in fiberoptic components. Germanium definition is a grayishwhite hard brittle metalloid element that resembles silicon and is used especially in optical and semiconductor materials and as a catalyst. Germanium was the material of choice in the early history of electronic devices. Germanium was first discovered by clemens winkler in 1886. Its first broad application was in the form of point contact schottky diodes for radar reception during wwii. Germanium behaves both as a metal and a nonmetal and is useful as a semiconductor and is classified metalloid.
There are several reasons silicon has become the preferred semiconductor in the present, over germanium. This makes it suitable for use in wideangle camera. The addition of a closely spaced second contact led to the first allsolidstate electronic amplifier device, the transistor. Germanium is also used as an alloying agent, a catalyst, and as a phosphor for fluorescent lamps. It is a hard, lustrous, grayishwhite metalloid chemically similar to its group neighbors, tin and silicon. Clemens winkler discovered germanium element applications. One of the graduate students, seymour benzer, accidentally discovered that a crystal of germanium a semiconductor which was not well understood at the time could withstand higher voltage. It is the thirty second element on the periodic table. Thornton explore how germanium developed from a missing element in mendeleevs periodic table to an enabler for the information age, while retaining a nomenclature.
History germanium is named for germany, where clemens winkler discovered it in 1886 in a compound called argyrodite. Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon. Dmitri mendeleev predicted the existence of germanium in 1869. It is known to initiate healthy oxygen flow in the body tissues and aids in the normal functioning of the immune cells. State gas, liquid or solid at room temperature, groupsseries details and much more. He named it ekasilicon and proposed some of the physical characteristics of the then unknown metal. This is not to be confused with the relative percentage isotope abundances which totals 100% for all the naturally occurring isotopes. Germanium is a chemical element with symbol ge and atomic numb. Maybe add your school logo, work team or anything else to maker your paper look cool. Ok but how do we know what is the crystal structure of an atom of ge. Germanium element information, properties and uses. Germanium is a hard graywhite metal that is similar in appearance to silicon although, unlike silicon, it is never found naturally in its free form on earth. It is commonly doped with arsenic or gallium at the level of one part per 1010 for electronics.
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