Post-transition metal

The <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metallic</a> elements in the <a href="/facts/Periodic_table/umdGIfUb">periodic table</a> located between the <a href="/facts/Transition_metal/0slGWoLQ">transition metals</a> to their left and the chemically weak nonmetallic <a href="/facts/Metalloid/uMFVXuTq">metalloids</a> to their right have received many names in the literature, such as post-transition metals, poor metals, other metals, p-block metals, basic metals, and chemically weak metals. The most common name, post-transition metals, is generally used in this article.
Physically, these metals are soft (or brittle), have poor mechanical strength, and usually have melting points lower than those of the transition metals. Being close to the <a href="/facts/Dividing_line_between_metals_and_nonmetals/T6P2t8Gc">metal-nonmetal border</a>, their <a href="/facts/Crystal_structure/bJ4bCeHd">crystalline structures</a> tend to show <a href="/facts/Covalent_bond/EzMLf3Pz">covalent or directional bonding</a> effects, having generally greater complexity or fewer <a href="/facts/Coordination_number/mf48hsoX">nearest neighbours</a> than other metallic elements.
Chemically, they are characterised—to varying degrees—by covalent bonding tendencies, acid-base <a href="/facts/Amphoterism/2UrXEsyl">amphoterism</a> and the formation of anionic species such as <a href="/facts/Aluminate/dRaFaNlM">aluminates</a>, <a href="/facts/Stannate/Dq0PxxjC">stannates</a>, and <a href="/facts/Bismuthate/znSGlItd">bismuthates</a> (in the case of <a href="/facts/Aluminium/7wmR8jYE">aluminium</a>, tin, and bismuth, respectively). They can also form <a href="/facts/Zintl_phase/RdV0yDXf">Zintl phases</a> (half-metallic compounds formed between highly <a href="/facts/Electronegativity/H7Vq7Uah">electropositive</a> metals and moderately <a href="/facts/Electronegativity/H7Vq7Uah">electronegative</a> metals or metalloids).

Post-transition metal open-in-new

Post-transition metal