Selenium
Selenio (Se, Z=34)
- Date
- 1817 · confidence high
- Place
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Credited to
- Jöns Jacob Berzelius and Johan Gottlieb Gahn
- People
- 👤 Johan Gottlieb Gahn1745–1818👤 Jöns Jacob Berzelius1779–1848
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Berzelius found a reddish residue in the lead chambers of his sulfuric acid works at Gripsholm and identified it as an element analogous to tellurium.
The name comes from 'Selene', the Moon, by analogy with tellurium (Earth).
What it led to
- Photoconductivity and photoelectric cells
- Xerography (the photocopier)
- Selenium rectifiers
Built on
- Manufacture of sulphuric acid
- Discovery of tellurium
Made possible
- Carlson's photocopier
- Selenium photometer