Reaction of mercury telluride with lead

This paper studies the reaction of mercury telluride with lead by physicochemical methods of analysis. Differential thermal analysis was carried out on a microcalorimeter, with a battery of 64 thermocouples serving as the differential thermocouple unit. The microstructure of mechanically polished samples was studied on an MIM-7 metallograph. All the phases present show good contrast. It is shown that mercury telluride reacts with lead to form lead telluride and free mercury. The exchange reaction begins right after the lead melts but the lead telluride formed as an interlayer slows down the process. The interlayer is removed at 558 C by the eutectic melting at the HgTe/PbTe interface allowing complete chemical reaction of the components with a consequent large exothermic effect shown on the heating thermograms.