Silicon is also an important constituent of some steels and a major ingredient in bricks. Silicon is the principal component of glass, cement, ceramics, most semiconductor devices, and silicones, the latter a plastic substance often confused with silicon. It forms various series of hydrides, various halides (many of which contain silicon-silicon bounds) and many series of compounds which contain oxygen, which can have ionic or covalent properties. According to this metallic character, it forms tetrapositive ions and various covalent compounds it appears as a negative ion only in a few silicides and as a positive constituent of oxyacids or complex anions. It’s almost as electropositive as tin and much more positive than germanium or lead. Silicon is similar to metals in its chemical behaviour. Silicon is an intrinsic semiconductor in it’s purest form, although the intensity of its semiconduction is highly increased by introducing small quantities of impurities. Elemental silicon has the physical properties of metalloids, similar to the ones or germanium, situated under it in the group IV of the periodic table. Apart from those stable natural isotopes, various radiactive artificial isotopes are known. Natural silicon contains 92.2% of the isotope 28, 4.7% of silicon 29 and 3.1% of silicon 30. Moreover, pentacoordinated and hexacoordinated silicon compounds are also known. It is usually tetravalent in its compounds, although sometimes its bivalent, and it’s purely electropositive in its chemical behaviour. It’s a metalloid with a marked metallic luster and very brittle. Silicon is the most abundant electropositive element in The Earth’s crust. Silicon - Si Chemical properties of silicon - Health effects of silicon - Environmental effects of silicon
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |