 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Clemens Winkler
|
| When: 1886 |
| Where: Germany |
|
| Name Origin |
| Latin: Germania (Germany). |
|
| Sources |
| Obtained from refining copper, zinc and lead. It can be found in argyrodite, coal, germanite, zinc ores as well as other minerals. |
|
| Uses |
| Widely used in semiconductors, infrared prisms (for night vision goggles), reflectors in projectors, wide angle lenses and dentistry. |
|
| Notes |
| Its occurrance is 0.0007% of the earth's crust. In the elemental form it is a lustrous white, brittle metaloid. When crystalized it has a diamond cubic structure. It is a poor conductor and is used in electronics in rectifying devices and transistors. It is also used in dental alloys. There are several compounds which contain germanium. "Germaine" or germanium hydride is a colorless gas GeH4 prepared by the action of lithium aluminum hydride on germanium halide in an ether solution. Germaine is a hazardous substance UN2192 which is classified as a poisonous gas (2.3). It is also a flammable gas (2.1). Other compounds include : Germanium dichloride GeCl2, Germanium dioxide GeO2, Germanium tetrachloride GeCl4 this is very irritating to eyes and membranes. |
