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UsesofMetalloids

UsesofMetalloids
Metalloidsaremostlyusedassemiconductorsinmanyelectronicgoods.Togetmoreinformationonthe
usesofmetalloidskeepreadingthearticle.
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Whataremetalloids?Metalloidsaretheelementswhich
possessthequalitiesofmetalsaswellasnonmetals,hence
theyarealsoknownassemimetals.Metalloidsinthe
periodictableareplacedbetweenthemetalsandthenon
metalsandarelocatedinasteplikestructure.Hencewecan
saythattheperiodictableisdividedintothreetypesof
elements:metals,nonmetalsandmetalloids.Thereareall
togethersevenmetalloidswhichareplacedfromthe13thto
the16thgroup.Thesesevenmetalloidare:
Boron(B)
Silicon(Si)
Germanium(Ge)
Arsenic(As)
Antimony(Sb)
Tellurium(Te)
Polonium(Po)
PropertiesofMetalloids
Metalloidsshowmixedpropertiesofmetalsaswellasnonmetals.Followingaresomeofthecommon
metalloidsproperties.
Theycanbeshinyordullinappearanceandbrittleinnature.
Theybehaveasnonmetalswhentheyreactwithmetalsandbehaveasmetalswhentheyreact
withnonmetals.
Theyareamphotericoxideswhichmeanstheycanbehaveasbasicoxidesaswellasacidicoxides.
Boron,siliconandgermaniumbehaveassemiconductors.
Allthemetalloidshavedifferentmeltingandboilingpoints.
Theyareductileandcanbebentintopipes.
Someofthemetalloidslooklikemetals,solidandtough.
UsesofMetalloids
Metalloidsareusedinvarioussectors.Theyareusedinindustries,householdproducts,research,etc.
Theyarealsousedinmanybiologicalprocesses.Followingisadetailedinformationonvariousmetalloid
usesaccordingtoeachmetalloid.
Boron(B)
Boronisusedintheproductionofboronsilicateglass.Theseglasseshaveahighresistanceto
thermalshockwhichcausesnormalglassestobreak.
Intheformofsodiumtetraborateitisusedtoinsulatefiberglass.
Boronfilamentsareusedintheaerospacestructuresastheyarelightweightbutpossesshigh
strength.
Theyareusedascontrolrodsinthenuclearreactorsintheformofboroncarbideshields.
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UsesofMetalloids

Boroncarbideisalsousedinmakingbulletproofjackets.
Itispresentinthestrongesttypeofmagnet:theneodyniummagnet.Thismagnetisusedinthe
CDandDVDplayers,cellphones,MagneticResonanceImaging(MRI)machines,etc.
Itisusedinmakingmanycleaningproductslikedetergentsandbleach.
Itisverywidelyusedinkillingants,fleas,cockroachesandothersmallinsects.
Boronintheformofsodiumborate,hindersfireandhenceitisusedinplasticsandrubbers.
Asitpossessesmetallicpropertiesalso,itisusedincoatingsubstancestoincreasetheirstrength
andhardness.
Silicon(Si)
Siliconisknownforitssemiconductorproperties.Itisusedinmanyelectronicdeviceslike
computers,transistors,solarcells,LCDscreens,tocontroltheflowofelectricity.
Siliconintheformofsilicondioxideandsilicaareusedinthemanufactureofbrick,concreteand
cement.
Siliconisusedasputtywhichisformedwiththehelpofboricacidandsiliconoil.
Siliconisalsousedforbreastimplantationandformakingcontactlenses.
Itisalsousedinhightemperaturewaxesandgreases.
Itcanalsobeusedinmakingexplosivesandfireworks.
Alloysofsiliconandaluminumareusedinmakingcastpartsforcarsandotherautomobiles.
Theyarealsousedinmakingpotteryandenamel.
Germanium(Ge)
Germaniumhasahighrefractiveindex,henceitisusedinwideanglecameras,microscopelenses,
etc.
Germaniumalsobehavesasasemiconductor,henceitisalsousedinmanyelectronicdeviceslike
computers,calculators,transistors,etc.
Itisalsousedinsolarpanelstocontroltheflowofelectricity.
Itbehavesasacatalystinmanypolymerizationreactions.
Withphosphoritisusedinfluorescentlamps,metallurgyandchemotherapy.
Itisusedinfiberopticsandinfraredopticsandininfraredspectroscopy.
Germaniumwaspreviouslyusedtotreatanemiabutlateritwasfoundthatitisresponsiblefor
manyhealthhazardsanddiseases.Buttodaypropagermaniumororganicgermaniumorbeta
carboxyethylgermaniumsesquioxideareusedwithcomplementarymedicinesandarehelpfulin
boostingtheimmunesystemofcancerpatients.
ItisalsousedtoaidintreatmentofAIDS,heartdiseasesandarthritis.
Arsenic(As)
Arsenicisverycommonlyusedtostrengthenthealloyofcopperandleadwhichareusedincar
batteries.
Arsenic74isanisotopewhichisbelievedtobemoreeffectivethaniodineintakingimagesand
locatingtumors.
Itisusedinpreservingwoodfromvariousbacteria,fungiandinsects.
Itwasalsousedinvariouspesticidesandherbicidesbutisrarelyusednowadays.
Itisalsousedasasemiconductorinelectronicdevices.
Itismedicallyusedintreatingcancerandacutepromyelocyticleukemia.
Itismixedwithanimalfoodtoprotectthemfromvariousdiseases.
Antimony(Sb)
ThemostimportantuseofAntimonyisinthemakingofflameretardants.Itisusedinaircraft,
automobileseatcovers,lightaircraftenginecovers,etc.
Itisusedwithleadtoincreasethehardnessandmechanicalstrengthofleadwhichisusedinacid
batteries.
Itsalloysarealsousedinmakingbullets,cablesheathing,etc.
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Itisusedasacatalystintheproductionofmanypolymers.
ItisalsousedasfiningagentwhichhelpsinremovingmicroscopicbubblesfromtheTVscreens.
Itisalsousedasasemiconductorinelectronicdevices.
Itisusedasafrictioncoefficientinmakingautomobilebreaksandpads.
Itisalsousedinthesafetyequipmentinnuclearreactors.
Antimonydrugsareusedinmanymedicationsfortreatinganumberofdiseases.
Tellurium(Te)
Oneofthemostcommonusesoftelluriumisalloying.Itincreasestheresilienceanddurabilityof
metals.
Itisalsousedtoincreasetheductilityofstainlesssteelandcopper.
Telluriumisalsopresentincastironalloystohelpregulatethetemperature.
Itreducestherateofcorrosioninthemetal.
Itbehavesasasemiconductorandisusedinmanyelectronicapplications
Itisalsoveryeffectiveinsolarcellpanelsasasemiconductor.
Telluriumwithzincformsagammaraydetectorandwithmercuryitmakesforaninfrared
detector.
Itisusedinmakingceramics,tintingglasses,blastingcaps,etc.
Itisusedinreducingengineknocking.
Polonium(Po)
Alphaparticleofradioactivepolonium(210Po)isusedtoreleaseneutronsfromberyllium.
Theyareusedinthethermoelectriccellsofartificialsatellitesbecauseoftheirabilitytorelease
largeamountofenergy.
Itisusedinthebrusheswhichareusedtocleancameralensesandphotographicfilms.
Itisalsousedinpaperrollingmachines,spinningsyntheticfibers,etc.,inordertoeliminatestatic
electricity.
Itisusedintheradioisotopethermoelectricgeneratorintheremoteareassuchaslighthouses.
Theseweresomeofthemostcommonusesofeachofthemetalloids.Mostofthemetalloidslike
germanium,arsenic,telluriumandpoloniumareconsideredhighlypoisonous.Hence,takeproper
precautionsifyoucomeincontactwiththem.Ifyourdoctorrecommendedsomemedicationswhich
containsanyofthemetalloidthenaskyourdoctoraboutitssideeffectsandwaystoovercomethem.
Withthis,wecometoanendofthisBuzzlearticle.Hopethisarticlewashelpfulandinformative.
ByNiharikaArya
LastUpdated:September28,2011
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