Polonide

As polonium is immediately below tellurium in the periodic table, there are many chemical and structural similarities between polonides and tellurides.

[5] The polonides of the most electropositive metals show classic ionic structural types, and can be considered to contain the Po2− anion.

Many of them seem to involve trivalent lanthanides (though Sm, Eu, and Yb with more stable +2 oxidation states are exceptions), making them resemble electrides.

[4][9] The thermal stability and non-volatility of these compounds (polonium metal boils at 962 °C) is important for their use in polonium-based heat sources.

[3] No reaction is observed between polonium and aluminium, carbon, iron, molybdenum, tantalum or tungsten.