Block (periodic table) elements that are commonly recognized as metalloids are in the p-block: boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, and tellurium. Metalloids tend to have lower electrical conductivity than metals, yet often higher than nonmetals. They tend to form chemical bonds similarly to nonmetals, but may dissolve in metallic alloys without covalent or ionic bonding. Metalloid additives can improve properties of metallic alloys, sometimes paradoxically to their own apparent properties. Some may give a better electrical conductivity, higher corrosion resistance, ductility, or fluidity in molten state, etc. to the alloy. Boron has many carbon-like properties, but is very rare. It has many uses,
Boron arsenide Boron arsenide Boron arsenide is a chemical compound involving boron and arsenic, usually with a chemical formula BAs. Other boron arsenide compounds are known, such as the subarsenide BAs. Chemical synthesis of cubic BAs is very challenging and its single crystal forms usually have defects. BAs is a cubic (sphalerite) semiconductor in the III-V family with a lattice constant of 0.4777 nm and an indirect band gap of approximately 1.86 eV. It can be alloyed with gallium arsenide to produce ternary and quaternary semiconductors. Cubic BAs is reported to decompose to the subarsenide BAs at temperatures above 920 °C. Boron