Tellurium is a chemical element; it has symbol Te and atomic number 52. It is a brittle, mildly toxic, rare, silver-white metalloid. Tellurium is chemically related to selenium and sulfur, all three of which are chalcogens. It is occasionally found in its native form as elemental crystals. Tellurium is far more common in the Universe as a whole than on Earth. Its extreme rarity in the Earth's crust, comparable to that of platinum, is due partly to its formation of a volatile hydride that caused tellurium to be lost to space as a gas during the hot nebular formation of Earth.
The telluride ion is the anion Te2− and its derivatives. It is analogous to the other chalcogenide anions, the lighter O2−, S2−, and Se2−, and the heavier Po2−.
A chalcogenide is a chemical compound consisting of at least one chalcogen anion and at least one more electropositive element. Although all group 16 elements of the periodic table are defined as chalcogens, the term chalcogenide is more commonly reserved for sulfides, selenides, tellurides, and polonides, rather than oxides. Many metal ores exist as chalcogenides. Photoconductive chalcogenide glasses are used in xerography. Some pigments and catalysts are also based on chalcogenides. The metal dichalcogenide MoS2 is a common solid lubricant.
Hydrogen telluride is the inorganic compound with the formula H2Te. A hydrogen chalcogenide and the simplest hydride of tellurium, it is a colorless gas. Although unstable in ambient air, the gas can exist long enough to be readily detected by the odour of rotting garlic at extremely low concentrations; or by the revolting odour of rotting leeks at somewhat higher concentrations. Most compounds with Te–H bonds (tellurols) are unstable with respect to loss of H2. H2Te is chemically and structurally similar to hydrogen selenide, both are acidic. The H–Te–H angle is about 90°. Volatile tellurium compounds often have unpleasant odours, reminiscent of decayed leeks or garlic.
Cadmium iodide is the inorganic compound with the formula CdI2. It is a white hygroscopic solid. It also can be obtained as a mono- and tetrahydrate. It has few applications. It is notable for its crystal structure, which is typical for compounds of the form MX2 with strong polarization effects.
Indium(III) bromide, (indium tribromide), InBr3, is a chemical compound of indium and bromine. It is a Lewis acid and has been used in organic synthesis.
There are three sets of Indium halides, the trihalides, the monohalides, and several intermediate halides. In the monohalides the oxidation state of indium is +1 and their proper names are indium(I) fluoride, indium(I) chloride, indium(I) bromide and indium(I) iodide.
Indium(III) selenide is a compound of indium and selenium. It has potential for use in photovoltaic devices and has been the subject of extensive research. The two most common phases, α and β, have a layered structure, while γ has a "defect wurtzite structure." In all, five polymorphs are known: α, β, γ, δ, κ. The α-β phase transition is accompanied by a change in electrical conductivity. The band gap of γ-In2Se3 is approximately 1.9 eV.
The indium chalcogenides include all compounds of indium with the chalcogen elements, oxygen, sulfur, selenium and tellurium. (Polonium is excluded as little is known about its compounds with indium). The best-characterised compounds are the In(III) and In(II) chalcogenides e.g. the sulfides In2S3 and InS.
This group of compounds has attracted a lot of research attention because they include semiconductors, photovoltaics and phase-change materials. In many applications indium chalcogenides are used as the basis of ternary and quaternary compounds such as indium tin oxide, ITO and copper indium gallium selenide, CIGS.
Molybdenum(IV) telluride, molybdenum ditelluride or just molybdenum telluride is a compound of molybdenum and tellurium with formula MoTe2, corresponding to a mass percentage of 27.32% molybdenum and 72.68% tellurium.
Mixed-anion compounds, heteroanionic materials or mixed-anion materials are chemical compounds containing cations and more than one kind of anion. The compounds contain a single phase, rather than just a mixture.
The selenide iodides are chemical compounds that contain both selenide ions (Se2−) and iodide ions (I−) and one or metal atoms. They are in the class of mixed anion compounds or chalcogenide halides.
The telluride bromides are chemical compounds that contain both telluride ions (Te2−) and bromide ions (Br−). They are in the class of mixed anion compounds or chalcogenide halides.
The telluride oxides or oxytellurides are double salts that contain both telluride and oxide anions. They are in the class of mixed anion compounds.
The telluride phosphides are a class of mixed anion compounds containing both telluride and phosphide ions. The phosphidotelluride or telluridophosphide compounds have a [TeP]3− group in which the tellurium atom has a bond to the phosphorus atom. A formal charge of −2 is on the phosphorus and −1 on the tellurium. There is no binary compound of tellurium and phosphorus. Not many telluride phosphides are known, but they have been discovered for noble metals, actinides, and group 4 elements.
The telluride iodides are chemical compounds that contain both telluride ions (Te2−) and iodide ions (I−). They are in the class of mixed anion compounds or chalcogenide halides.
Selenogallates are chemical compounds which contain anionic units of selenium connected to gallium. They can be considered as gallates where selenium substitutes for oxygen. Similar compounds include the thiogallates and selenostannates. They are in the category of chalcogenotrielates or more broadly chalcogenometallates.
Tellurogallates are chemical compounds which contain anionic units of tellurium connected to gallium. They can be considered as gallates where tellurium substitutes for oxygen. Similar compounds include the thiogallates, selenogallates, telluroaluminates, telluroindates and thiostannates. They are in the category of chalcogenotrielates or more broadly tellurometallates or chalcogenometallates.
Arsenide tellurides or telluride arsenides are compounds containing anions composed of telluride (Te2−) and arsenide (As3−). They can be considered as mixed anion compounds. Related compounds include the arsenide sulfides, arsenide selenides, antimonide tellurides, and phosphide tellurides. Some are in the category of arsenopyrite-type compounds with As:Te of 1:1. Yet others are layered with As:Te of 1:2.
Tellurogermanates or telluridogermanates are compounds with anions with tellurium bound to germanium. They are analogous with germanates, thiogermanates and selenidogermanates.
