Element Germanium
Element Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32.
It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbours silicon and tin.
Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon. Like silicon, germanium naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature.
Names and Identifiers
| Chemical Formula: | Ge |
| CAS: | 7440-56-4 |
| Molecular Weight: | 72.640 g/mol |
| EC Number : | 231-164-3 |
| MDL Number: | MFCD00085310 |
| Color: | grayish white |
| Other Names: | n/a |
| PubChem CID: | 6326954 |
| IUPAC Name: | Germanium |
| Inchl: | InChI=1S/Ge |
| InChI Key: | GNPVGFCGXDBREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| Canonical SMILES: | [Ge] |
| ICSC Number: | n/a |
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Phase: | Solid |
| Density: | 5.323 g/cm³ |
| Boiling Point: | 3106 K (2833 °C, 5131 °F) |
| Melting Point: | 11211.40 K (938.25 °C, 1720.85 °F) |
| Molecular Formula: | Ge |
| Flash Point: | n/a |
| Exact Mass: | 73.921181 |
| Symbol: |  |
| Signal Word: | Warning |
| Hazard Statements: | H315-H319-H335 |
| Precautionary Statements: | P261-P305 + P351 + P338 |
| Hazard Codes: | F:Flammable;Xi:Irritant |
| Risk Phrases: | R11;R36/38 |
| Safety Phrases: | S26-S36/39-S2 |
| RIDADR: | UN 3089 4.1/PG 2 |
| WGK Germany: | 3 |
| RTECS: | LY5200000 |
| Packaging Group: | III |
| Hazard Class: | 8 |
Germanium occurs in 5 natural isotopes: 70Ge, 72Ge, 73Ge, 74Ge, and 76Ge Of these, 76Ge is very slightly radioactive, decaying by double beta decay
Naturally occurring isotopes
| Isotope | Mass/Da | Natural abundance (atom %) | Nuclear spin (I) | Magnetic moment (μ/μN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70Ge | 69.9242497 (16) | 20.84 (87) | 0 | |
| 72Ge | 71.9220789 (16) | 27.54 (34) | 0 | |
| 73Ge | 72.9234626 (16) | 7.73 (5) | 9/2 | -0.8794669 |
| 74Ge | 73.9211774 (15) | 36.28 (73) | 0 | |
| 76Ge | 75.9214016 (17) | 7.61 (38) | 0 |
Radiosotope data
| Isotope | Mass/Da | Half-life | Mode of decay | Nuclear spin | Nuclear magnetic moment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64Ge | 63.9416 | 1.06 m | EC to 64Ga | 0 | |
| 65Ge | 64.9394 | 31 s | EC to 65Ga | ||
| 66Ge | 65.93385 | 2.26 h | EC to 66Ga | 0 | |
| 67Ge | 66.932738 | 19.0 m | EC to 67Ga | 1/2 | |
| 68Ge | 67.92810 | 270.8 d | EC to 68Ga | 0 | |
| 69Ge | 68.927973 | 1.63 d | EC to 69Ga | 5/2 | 0.735 |
| 71Ge | 70.924954 | 11.2 d | EC to 71Ga | 1/2 | 0.547 |
| 75Ge | 74.922860 | 1.380 h | β– to 75As | 1/2 | 0.510 |
| 77Ge | 76.923549 | 11.30 h | β– to 77As | 7/2 | |
| 78Ge | 77.922853 | 1.45 h | β– to 78As | 0 |