Cadmium Telluride

Cadmium Telluride is one of the most toxic and deadly substances known to man. It is a by-product of lead, zinc, and copper mining and is also naturally found in soil and water. Despite its toxicity, cadmium telluride is still frequently used because it has highly sought after physical and chemical properties.

What Are the Properties of Cadmium Telluride?

Cadmium telluride has a high resistance to chemicals and corrosion as well as a high tolerance for extreme temperatures. The substance also has a low melting point and is considered an excellent electricity conductor. Cadmium telluride is produced by combining cadmium with tellurium and is also referred to as CdTe.

How Does Industry Use Cadmium Telluride?

Industry uses cadmium telluride as the preferred means of making photovoltaic modules that are used in solar energy cells. The substance’s band gap makes it one of the best on the planet for converting solar energy and it can be made at low cost. The compound is normally put in between cadmium sulfide sheets to make solar cells. It is predicted that solar energy cells made from the substance will be able to reach at least 19% efficiency in the next decade, which will significantly decrease the cost of adopting solar power as a primary energy source.

What Are the Safety Concerns with Cadmium Telluride?

There are significant safety concerns about the use of cadmium telluride in commercial applications. The first concern is for the safety of the employees who are involved in the manufacturing of the substance. The next is what we do not know about the potential harmful effects of its use in residential solar panels. Finally, there has not been a scalable solution developed for the safe and proper disposal of the substance when it has reached the end of its useful life. These potential risks will continue to be weighed against the expected benefits in the alternative energy field as further research is conducted with CdTe.

What is the Availability of Cadmium Telluride?

Currently, the cost of the raw materials to make cadmium telluride is relatively low. An unintended consequence of widespread adoption of the substance for solar panel usage could result in a significant increase in the cost of tellurium. Tellurium is considered to be a rare element and its availability for significant production of cadmium telluride could be limited in the future.