Technetium

Technetium, chemical element, symbol Tc; for physical constants see Periodic Table. Technetium was discovered by C. Perrier and E.G. Segrè in 1937. It was the first element to be produced artificially. It was produced in the Berkeley cyclotron by bombarding molybdenum with deuterons. It is present in some stars. It has not been found in any ores on earth. Technetium is prepared by reducing the sulfide with hydrogen at l,100°C. Technetium is a silvery-gray, reactive metal. Its chemistry is said to be similar to that of rhenium. Potassium pertechnetate is a corrosion inhibitor for steel. Technetium and its compounds have limited commercial use because of its high radioactivity.