Tellurium tetrachloride

Description

1. Product Overview

Tellurium tetrachloride (TeCl₄) is a high-purity inorganic halide essential for advanced organometallic synthesis, infrared (IR) glass production, and specialty chemical manufacturing. Its primary industrial use lies as a precursor for tellurium-based compounds, including cadmium telluride (CdTe) for thin-film photovoltaics and thermoelectric materials. The key value proposition is its exceptional chlorine reactivity and anhydrous stability, enabling consistent, high-yield reactions in moisture-sensitive processes. Strategically, TeCl₄ is critical for energy transition technologies and next-generation optoelectronics, making it a keystone material for supply chain leaders in renewable energy and defense-grade IR optics.

2. Key Specifications & Technical Characteristics

• Chemical composition: Tellurium tetrachloride (TeCl₄), CAS 10026-07-0

• Purity grade: Technical grade (≥99.9%) and High-Purity grade (≥99.99% trace metals basis)

• Physical form: Hygroscopic crystalline powder; color: white to pale yellow

• Particle size: 10–200 µm (customizable milling available)

• Density: 3.26 g/cm³ at 25°C

• Melting point: 224°C (decomposes before boiling)

• Moisture sensitivity: Extremely reactive with water → HCl gas release; must be handled under inert atmosphere

• Packaging options:

  • 1 kg, 5 kg, 25 kg HDPE drums with PTFE-lined lids

  • 200 kg stainless steel drums with argon purge

  • Custom vacuum-sealed aluminized bags

• Shelf life: 12 months when stored below 25°C in sealed, dry environment (desiccant recommended)

3. Core Industrial Applications

• Thin-film photovoltaics (CdTe solar cells): Used as a tellurium source in vapor transport deposition. Outperforms tellurium metal or TeO₂ due to lower decomposition temperature and higher chlorine-assisted grain growth, improving module efficiency by up to 8% in production trials.

• Infrared (IR) optical materials: Key dopant for chalcogenide glasses (e.g., Ge-Te-Cl systems). Provides superior IR transmission in 8–12 µm range compared to selenide-based glasses, with lower scattering losses.

• Organotellurium synthesis: Precursor for tellurium-containing ligands and catalysts in pharmaceutical intermediates. Enables higher reaction yields (≥92% vs. ~75% using Te metal) due to controlled stoichiometric chlorine release.

• Thermoelectric devices: Alloying with Bi₂Te₃ to tune carrier concentration. Chlorine acts as an n-type dopant with better uniformity than antimony iodide alternatives.

• Specialty rubber vulcanization: Accelerator for chlorinated polymers, offering faster cure times and higher heat resistance than sulfur-based systems.

4. Competitive Advantages

• Quality consistency: Batch-to-batch purity variance <0.02% (certified by ICP-MS and ion chromatography). Each shipment includes a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) from an ISO/IEC 17025 lab.

• Supply reliability: Multi-sourced feedstock from Canadian and Chinese tellurium refineries, with 18-month rolling contracts available.

• Logistics capability: Dedicated hazmat-compliant shipping (UN 2928, Class 8) with temperature-monitored containers. Global delivery to North America, Europe, and Asia in 7–14 days.

• Price competitiveness: Cost-per-mole up to 12% lower than major European competitors due to in-house chlorination reactors and byproduct HCl recycling.

• Sustainability: Zero-liquid-discharge manufacturing; waste HCl neutralized into industrial-grade calcium chloride.

• Technical support: On-call application engineers for reactor design, moisture control protocols, and purification troubleshooting.

5. Commercial & Supply Information

• Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ):

  • Sample grade: 1 kg

  • Standard commercial: 100 kg

  • Bulk contract: 5 MT

• BULK 20MT Loading Capacity: 20 metric tons (net weight) per standard 20-foot dry container, packed in 200 kg stainless steel drums (100 drums). Gross weight: ~21.6 MT.

• Lead time: 10 working days for stock quantities; 30 days for high-purity (≥99.99%) orders.

• Incoterms offered: EXW (Houston, TX), FOB (Shanghai), CIF (Rotterdam), DDP (by negotiation).