1. Physical and chemical properties
Box 1 summarizes the main stages in germanium production.
1886 – Germanium is isolated from argyrodite by Clemens Winkler.
1940-1945 – Use of germanium in radar installations (Sn-Ge diodes).
1946 – First processes for recovering germanium from zinc metallurgy.
1948 – Use of germanium in diodes (electronics, television, computers, telephony, special optical lenses, etc.).
1956 – New germanium purification techniques, production of single crystals, huge need for semiconductors.
1965 – Use of germanium oxide as a catalyst in the polymerization of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in Japan.
1970 – Silicon replaces germanium in microelectronics.
...
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
This article is included in
Metal manufacturing processes and recycling
This offer includes:
Knowledge Base
Updated and enriched with articles validated by our scientific committees
Services
A set of exclusive tools to complement the resources
Practical Path
Operational and didactic, to guarantee the acquisition of transversal skills
Doc & Quiz
Interactive articles with quizzes, for constructive reading
Physical and chemical properties
Germanium compounds
Bibliography
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
