The characteristics of germanium

Germanium is a lustrous, hard, gray-white semi-metallic element with a crystalline and brittle structure. Germanium also has the unusual property that (like water) it expands as it freezes. Four other elements expand when they freeze; silicon, bismuth, antimony and gallium. It is a semiconductor. Germanium and the oxide are transparent to infrared radiation.
Germanium also has the unusual property that (like water) it expands as it freezes. Four other elements expand when they freeze; silicon, bismuth, antimony and gallium.
The most common use of germanium is as a semiconductor. Germanium is used in transistors and in integrated circuits. It is used as an alloying agent and as a catalyst. It is also used in infrared spectroscopes and infrared detectors. Some germanium compounds are useful because they are toxic to bacteria but are harmless for mammals.