Technetium

Technetium •Transition Metal

Primary XPS region: N/A
Overlapping regions: N/A
Binding energies of common chemical states: N/A

Experimental Information

N/A

Interpretation of XPS spectra

N/A

General comments

• Technitium is an artificially created element which is radioactive.
  • It is unlikely to be observed in XPS spectra in a typical laboratory.

About This Element

Symbol: Tc
Date of Discovery: 1937
Name Origin: Greek technêtos
Appearance: silvery-gray
Discoverer: Carlo Perrier/Emilio Segre
Obtained From: man-made

Melting Point: 2430 K
Boiling Point: 4538 K
Density[kg/m3]: 11500
Molar Volume: 8.63 × 10-6 m3/mol
Protons/Electrons: 43
Neutrons: 55
Shell Structure: 2,8,18,14,1
Electron Configuration: [Kr]4d65s1
Oxidation State: 4,6,7
Crystal Structure: hexagonal

This rare transition metal was discovered by C. Perrier and E. Segre in 1937 in a sample of molybdenum that had been bombarded with deutrons. Since its discovery, many searches for the technetium in terrestrial matter have been made. In 1962, 99Tc was isolated as a spontaneous fission product of 238Ur. Technetium is found in the spectrum of S-, M-, and N-type stars, leading to new theories of the production of heavy elements in the stars. Technetium is a silver- gray metal and was the first element to be made artificially. It has 21 isotopes, all of which are radioactive, allowing for its use in medical radioactive isotope tests.

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