Black Se is a brittle, lustrous solid that is slightly soluble in CS 2. The structure of black selenium is irregular and complex and consists of polymeric rings with up to 1000 atoms per ring. When rapidly melted, it forms the black, vitreous form, usually sold commercially as beads. When prepared in chemical reactions, selenium is usually an amorphous, brick-red powder. Selenium forms several allotropes that interconvert with temperature changes, depending somewhat on the rate of temperature change. Characteristics Physical properties Structure of hexagonal (gray) selenium Selenium requirements in plants differ by species, with some plants requiring relatively large amounts and others apparently not requiring any. Selenium is listed as an ingredient in many multivitamins and other dietary supplements, as well as in infant formula, and is a component of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase (which indirectly reduce certain oxidized molecules in animals and some plants) as well as in 3 deiodinase enzymes. Selenium is still used in a few types of DC power surge protectors and one type of fluorescent quantum dot.Īlthough trace amounts of selenium are necessary for cellular function in many animals, including humans, both elemental selenium and (especially) selenium salts are toxic in even small doses, causing selenosis. Applications in electronics, once important, have been mostly replaced with silicon semiconductor devices. Selenium is a semiconductor and is used in photocells. The chief commercial uses for selenium today are glassmaking and pigments. Minerals that are pure selenide or selenate compounds are known but rare. Commercially, selenium is produced as a byproduct in the refining of these ores, most often during production. Selenium is found in metal sulfide ores, where it partially replaces the sulfur. Selenium (from Ancient Greek σελήνη ( selḗnē) 'moon') was discovered in 1817 by Jöns Jacob Berzelius, who noted the similarity of the new element to the previously discovered tellurium (named for the Earth). It seldom occurs in its elemental state or as pure ore compounds in Earth's crust. It is a metalloid (more rarely considered a Non Metal) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, and also has similarities to arsenic. Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34.
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