Science, Tech, Math › Science Metalloids: The Semi-Metals Share Flipboard Email Print hdagli/Getty Images Science Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Terence Bell Terence Bell Metal Expert University of British Columbia Carleton University Terence Bell is a former writer who has been involved in the rare earth and minor metal industries for over 10 years. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on March 21, 2019 Metalloids, or semi-metals, are a group of elements that possess both properties of metals and non-metals. The following six elements are commonly regarded as metalloids: Boron Silicon Germanium Arsenic Antimony Tellurium Properties Metalloids are brittle, lustrous metallic elements that exhibit semiconductive properties. Unlike metals, they are neither malleable nor ductile. Although they do not readily alloy with metals, each metalloid selectively compounds with certain metal elements to form alloys. Applications Being too brittle and weak for structural applications, metalloids are most often used in the chemical, electronics, and alloying industries. Germanium and silicon were critical in the development of the first transistors in the late 1940s and are, to this day, an integral part of semiconductors and solid-state electronics. Metallic antimony is widely used in alloys such as pewter and Babbitt, while chemical forms of antimony are used as a flame retardant ingredient in plastics and other materials. Tellurium is used as an alloying agent to improve the machinability of certain steels, as well as in electro-thermal and photovoltaic applications due to its unique thermal conductivity properties. Boron, an extremely hard element, is used as a dopant in semiconductors, as a bonding agent in permanent rare earth magnets, as well as in abrasive and chemical substances (e.g. Borax). Used as a dopant in some semiconductors, arsenic is more often found in metal alloys with copper and lead where it acts as a strengthening agent. Etymology The terms 'metalloid' comes from the Latin metallum, meaning metal, and oeides, meaning 'resembling in form and appearance'. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bell, Terence. "Metalloids: The Semi-Metals." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/metalloids-the-semi-metals-2340162. Bell, Terence. (2020, August 27). Metalloids: The Semi-Metals. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/metalloids-the-semi-metals-2340162 Bell, Terence. "Metalloids: The Semi-Metals." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/metalloids-the-semi-metals-2340162 (accessed February 7, 2023). copy citation