Its use is restricted because of environmental concerns. The metal is a component of some specialist alloys including solders and alloys with low coefficients of friction and good fatigue resistance. Cadmium is a component of Ni-Cd batteries. Cadmium is used in some control rods and shields within nuclear reactors. Cadmium is used in black and white television phosphors and in blue and green phosphors for colour TV tubes.
Some semiconductors contain cadmium.