Ein chemisches Element; Verwendung in der Halbleiter- u. Lasertechnik.
Tellurium.
ETYM New Lat., from Latin tellus, -uris, the earth.
Silver-white, semimetallic (metalloid) element, symbol Te, atomic number 52, atomic weight 127.60. Chemically it is similar to sulfur and selenium, and it is considered one of the sulfur group. It occurs naturally in telluride minerals, and is used in coloring glass blue-brown, in the electrolytic refining of zinc, in electronics, and as a catalyst in refining petroleum.
It was discovered by Austrian mineralogist Franz Müller (1740–1825) 1782, and named 1798 by German chemist Martin Klaproth.
A brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur; it is used in alloys and as a semiconductor; occurs mainly as tellurides in ores of copper and nickel and silver and gold; SYN. Te, atomic number 52.