What is Tellurium used for?

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Tellurium is used in photovoltaic solar cells, where its photosensitive properties allow for high efficiency. It's also an important alloy additive for steel to improve machinability and for lead to increase hardness and corrosion resistance in applications like battery grids. Other uses include thermoelectric materials, pigments for glass and ceramics, catalysts in oil refining and synthetic fiber production, and components in rewritable CDs/DVDs and phase-change memory chips.
 
Major Applications

• Thermoelectric Devices:
  Tellurium compounds, such as lead telluride (PbTe) and bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃), are used in devices that generate electricity from heat or cool objects when electricity passes through them. 

• Solar Cells:
  A significant and growing application for high-grade tellurium is in the manufacturing of cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels, which leverage tellurium's photosensitive qualities for efficient energy conversion. 
• Alloying:
  • Lead: It increases the strength, hardness, and acid resistance of lead, making it useful for battery grids, bearings, and cable sheathing. 
  • Steel: It improves the machinability of steel and other metals like copper and cast iron. 

Other Uses

• Electronics: Used in components for rewritable CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, as well as in new phase-change memory chips. 

• Catalysis: Acts as a catalyst in the oil refining and synthetic fiber industries. 

• Colorants: Used to tint and color glass and ceramics. 

• Rubber Industry: Compounds of tellurium have been used as vulcanizing agentsfor rubber. 

• Other Applications: Found in percussion caps and blasting caps.