What is Germanium?

Germanium (old translation of thorium) is a chemical element. Its chemical symbol is Ge, its atomic number is 32, and its atomic weight is 72.64. In the Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements, it is located in the fourth cycle, group IVA. Germanium is a kind of off-white metalloid. It is shiny and hard. It belongs to the carbon group. Its chemical properties are similar to those of the same group of tin and silicon. It is insoluble in water, hydrochloric acid, dilute caustic solution, and soluble in aqua regia, concentrated nitric acid or sulfuric acid. It is amphoteric, so it is soluble in molten alkali, alkali peroxide, alkali metal nitrate or carbonate. It is relatively stable in the air. In nature, germanium has five isotopes: 70, 72, 73, 74, 76. It reacts with oxygen to produce GeO2 above 700 , and reacts with hydrogen above 1000 . Fine germanium can be burned in chlorine or bromine. Germanium is an excellent semiconductor, which can be used for high frequency current detection and AC rectification. Infrared materials, precision instruments, catalysts. Germanium compounds can be used to make fluorescent plates and various high refractive index glasses.

Germanium is widely distributed in nature. Copper, iron, sulfide, and even rocks, mud, and springs contain traces of germanium. The content of germanium in the earth's crust is 7 parts per million, which is less than common elements such as oxygen and silicon, but more than arsenic, uranium, mercury, iodine, silver, gold and other elements. However, germanium is very dispersed, and there is almost no concentrated germanium ore, so it is called "sparse metal". The germanium ore that has been found are sulphur silver germanium (containing 5 to 7% germanium), germanite (containing 10% germanium), and sulfur copper iron germanium ore (containing germanium 7%). Germanium ore has two kinds of germanium content: 200ppm and 393ppm. The colors are cyan gray and safflower.

Germanium stone specifications	Generally 1-3CM, 2-4CM, 3-5CM
Germanite particles	6-10 mesh, 10-20 mesh, 20-40 mesh, 40-80 mesh
Germanium powder specifications	100 mesh, 200 mesh, 325 mesh, 400 mesh, 600 mesh, 1250 mesh
Germanium plate specifications	10 * 10CM, 15 * 15CM, 20 * 20CM, 30 * 30CM

Germanium is often mixed in many lead ore, copper ore, iron ore, and silver ore. Even ordinary coal generally contains about one hundred thousandths of germanium. Grams of germanium. Trace amounts of germanium are also found in ordinary soil, rocks, and even spring water. ^[3]

Basic Information

Germanium is chemically stable and does not interact with air or water vapor at room temperature, but at 600 to 700 ° C, germanium dioxide is quickly formed. Does not work with hydrochloric acid and dilute sulfuric acid. When concentrated sulfuric acid is heated, germanium will slowly dissolve. In nitric acid and aqua regia, germanium is easily dissolved. The effect of alkali solution and germanium is very weak, but the molten alkali in the air can quickly dissolve germanium. Germanium and carbon do not work, so it melts in the graphite crucible without being polluted by carbon. ^[7]

The extraction method of germanium is to firstly chlorinate the enriched germanium with concentrated hydrochloric acid to prepare germanium tetrachloride, and then remove the main impurity arsenic by the hydrochloric acid solvent extraction method, and then purify it by two distillations in a quartz column. High-purity germanium tetrachloride can be obtained by washing with pure hydrochloric acid, and high-purity germanium dioxide can be obtained by hydrolyzing germanium tetrachloride with high-purity water. Some impurities will enter the hydrolysis mother liquor, so the hydrolysis process is also a purification process. Pure germanium dioxide is dried and calcined, and reduced to 650-680 ° C with hydrogen in a quartz tube of a reduction furnace to obtain metallic germanium. High-purity germanium (less than 1/1010 impurities) used in the semiconductor industry can be obtained by zone melting technology. ^[11]

It is believed that germanium is not important to the health of animals and plants. However, some of its compounds can be harmful to human health. E.g,

It should be stored in a cool, ventilated, dry, clean, chemical-free warehouse. Protect from moisture. Do not co-storage with acid and alkali products. During transportation, it should be protected from rain and shock. Handle with care when loading and unloading to prevent collision and rolling and prevent mechanical damage. ^[1]