What are the uses of selenium metal?

I. Pure selenium basic Introduction

1. Selenium (Se) is a semi-metal between metal and non-metal. It is a solid with gray metallic luster.

2. Its brittleness, toxic, can conduct electricity, electrical conductivity changes rapidly with the intensity of light, melting point is 221℃, boiling point is 685℃.

3. Selenium can be oxidized by nitric acid and dissolved in concentrated lye, and will not be oxidized at room temperature. Selenium is an essential micronutrient and plays an important role in human health by participating in many enzymes.

II. Application of metallic selenium

1. Glass industry: selenium can be used to remove the color of glass, but also can be used to make colored glass.

2. Chemical products: in the oxidation of organic compounds, hydrogenation, halogenation and other processes, selenium and selenium compounds can be used as catalysts or oxidants in the rubber industry, selenium as a vulcanizing agent can improve the strength and elasticity of rubber selenic acid and selenate with bactericidal and antibacterial effect.

3. Pigments: from yellow to dark brown almost all pigments can be achieved by blending tin selenide with sulfur. This kind of pigments are characterized by heat resistance and strong chemical reaction resistance. They are commonly used in plastic coloring under the condition of 400℃ ~ 500℃. Zinc, chromium and selenium based pigments are also used for metal protection in major projects.

4. Copy equipment: A variety of selenium-based materials are still widely used in many copy equipment, but some organic optical structure instruments began to replace the use of selenium-based materials more and more began to copy equipment.

5. Solar cells (CIGS), electronic instruments and photoelectric instruments: photoelectric instruments (involving infrared to ultraviolet spectrum of laser, photodiode, optical receiver, etc.) widely used selenium semiconductor components A2B6 and A4B6. At present, the solar cells manufactured by polyphthalamine-based Cu(InGa)Se2 compound are very popular in the market, with the efficiency of 10% ~ 19%.

6. Metallurgy: iron or copper base alloy to add a small amount of selenium (≤1%) can improve the strength and plasticity of the alloy. Trace amounts of selenium are added to lead to make battery grates. The corrosion resistance of MG-Mn alloy can be improved by adding 0.3% ~ 0.5% selenium.

7. Chemical industry: This aspect is the main use of electrolytic manganese catalyst. Electrolytic manganese production is the largest application field of selenium in China. Adding SeO2 to the electrolytic cell during manganese electrolysis can improve the current efficiency.

8. Medicine: Selenium is an essential trace element in human and animal bodies. It has been confirmed that residents living in areas with low selenium content in soil and water are prone to cardiovascular disease and high incidence of cancer. Selenium compounds such as sodium selenite and sodium selenite are also effective in preventing and treating diseases and can be added to animal feed. In Eastern Europe, the U.S., and China, a draft encouraging the use of selenium additives in farms has been approved. The selenium added to food, animal products and inorganic fertilizer accounts for more than 5% of the total selenium output in the world every year.

In general, selenium is widely used and applicable in many fields. With the development of the world economy and the emergence of new application scenarios, the market demand for selenium continues to grow, and the selenium metal industry will develop further in the future.