Why Is Antimony Important in Chemistry?
Antimony, an SB element is described as a chemical element. A lustrous gray metalloid is found mainly in nature as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds are known since ancient times and were powdered to use in cosmetics and medicines, often known by the Arabic name kohl. Also, the metallic Antimony was known, but it was identified erroneously as lead upon its discovery.
China has been the most abundant Antimony and its compound producer for some time, where most of the production comes from a mine in Hunan.
It is naturally found in Earth’s crust layer in the ores of stibnite and valentinite.
The Antimony symbol is, Sb, and the antimony atomic number is 51.
Environmental Effects of Antimony
Antimony, an SB element, and chemical element found in soils, air, and water in minimal amounts. It mainly pollutes soils. It can travel through groundwater with greater distances towards other surface waters and locations. Few laboratory tests conducted on rats, guinea pigs, rabbits have shown that a high amount of Antimony may relatively kill small animals. Rats may experience heart, liver, lung, and kidney failures before death. On the other side, animals that breathe in fewer Antimony volumes for a stipulated time may experience eye irritations, lung damage, and hair loss. Even dogs may experience heart problems when they are exposed to lower levels of Antimony. Animals that breathe Antimony continually for a couple of months may experience severe fertility problems. It has not been specified fully that using Antimony can cause cancer.
Health Effects of Antimony
Especially the people who work with Antimony may suffer the effects of exposure by continual breathing in antimony dust. For Humans, the exposure to Antimony can take place by drinking water, breathing air, and eating foods that contain it. Moreover, by skin contact with water, soil, and other substances that contain Antimony. Breathing in Antimony bound to hydrogen in the gaseous phase mainly causes health effects.
Relatively high exposure to antimony concentrations (9 mg/m3 of air) for a certain period can irritate skin, eyes, and lungs.
As the exposure often continues, more serious health effects may occur, including heart problems, lung diseases, severe vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach ulcers.
It is yet to be known whether Antimony can cause reproductive failure cancer.
Antimony is used as a medicine for parasitic infections, but people who have a high intake of those medicines become sensitive to it have experienced health effects in the past. Health effects like these have made us more aware of the dangers when exposed to Antimony. All these significant effects are highly seen in HIV and the visceral leishmaniasis coinfections.
Biological and Physiological Significance
Various compounds like Antimony are highly toxic. The antimony compounds usage for medicinal purposes was temporarily outlawed many centuries ago because of the numerous fatalities they had caused. A hydrated potassium antimonyl tartrate, known as “tartar emetic,” is currently added in medicine as a diaphoretic, expectorant, and emetic. The maximum concentration of antimony dust which can be tolerable in the air is about the same as for arsenic, 0.5 milligrams per cubic meter.
Properties of Antimony
Physical Properties of Antimony
Antimony is an SB element and a silvery-white colour; a shiny element looks like a metal. It is hard and brittle like a nonmetal, and it has a scaly surface. Also, it can be prepared as a black powder because of having a shiny brilliance to it.
The melting point of Antimony is about 630°C (1,170°F), whereas the boiling point is of 1,635°C (2,980°F). Relatively it is a soft material that can be scratched by the glass. It has a density of 6.68 grams per cubic centimeter. Its Relative atomic mass is 121Sb, and ChemSpider (a free chemical structure database) ID is 4510681.
A metalloid is an element having characteristics of both metals and nonmetals.
Chemical Properties of Antimony
Antimony is a moderately active element. It does not associate with oxygen in the air at room temperature. Also, it does not react with either coldest acids or with cold water. However, it can dissolve in some hot acids in aqua regia. Aqua regia is formed by a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. Also, it often reacts with materials that do not react with either acid separately.
Future of Antimony
Although large amounts of Antimony have been used for the manufacture of alloys and flame retardants and is expected to remain the fact in the immediate future. As science develops more or developing markets or the improved uses are getting developed, the demand for Antimony may also result in increasing.
Antimony Uses
A few of the Antimony uses are listed below.
Pure Antimony is used when manufacturing certain semiconductors such as infrared detectors and diodes
It is used to increase its durability and harden lead
Batteries use Antimony for its smooth functioning
Also, it is used to make small arms & bullets
In addition, antimony, as an SB element, is an excellent flame retardant.
FAQs on Antimony: Key Properties, Uses, and Effects in Chemistry
1. What are the main uses of antimony in industries?
Antimony is primarily used to create alloys, which are mixtures of metals. It is added to lead to increase its hardness and strength, making it ideal for lead-acid batteries, bullets, and electrical cable sheathing. Another major application is in flame retardants; antimony trioxide is a key ingredient used in plastics, textiles, and electronics to prevent fires. Pure antimony is also used to make certain types of semiconductor devices, such as infrared detectors and diodes.
2. Where is antimony naturally found and how is it obtained?
Antimony is most commonly found in nature within the mineral stibnite (antimony sulfide, Sb₂S₃). Although it can occasionally be found in its pure, native form, it is typically extracted by mining and processing stibnite ore. It is also frequently obtained as a by-product during the mining of other metals like lead, zinc, and silver.
3. Is antimony harmful to humans?
Yes, antimony and its compounds can be toxic, especially with high or prolonged exposure. Inhaling antimony dust can irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs. Long-term exposure is linked to more serious health issues, including problems with the heart and lungs. Due to its toxicity, it must be handled with significant safety precautions in industrial environments.
4. Why is antimony classified as a metalloid instead of a metal?
Antimony is classified as a metalloid because it exhibits properties of both metals and non-metals. Here’s a simple breakdown:
- Metal-like properties: It has a shiny, silvery-white appearance.
- Non-metal-like properties: It is very brittle and a poor conductor of both heat and electricity.
5. Why is the chemical symbol for antimony 'Sb' and not 'An'?
The chemical symbol 'Sb' comes from the element's ancient Latin name, 'stibium'. This term was used by the Romans to refer to the mineral we now know as stibnite. While the common name for the element evolved into 'antimony', the scientific community retained the 'Sb' abbreviation from its classical name for use in the periodic table and chemical formulas.
6. What are the different forms of antimony and how do they differ?
Antimony can exist in several different physical forms, known as allotropes. The main ones are:
- Grey Antimony: This is the most common and stable form. It has a metallic lustre, is brittle, and is a semiconductor. This is the form used in most industrial applications.
- Yellow Antimony: This is a non-metallic and very unstable form.
- Black Antimony: This form is also non-metallic and can be explosive.
7. What is antimony trioxide and why is it so important?
Antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) is the most commercially significant compound of antimony. Its primary and most critical use is as a synergist in flame retardants. When mixed with halogenated materials, it dramatically increases their effectiveness in preventing the spread of fire in plastics, textiles, and other flammable materials. This application is crucial for safety in electronics, construction, and transportation.
8. How does antimony compare to other elements in its group, like arsenic and bismuth?
Antimony (Sb) is in Group 15 of the periodic table, along with elements like arsenic (As) and bismuth (Bi). As you move down this group, the elements become more metallic. Antimony sits in the middle and perfectly illustrates this trend:
- It is more metallic and less reactive than arsenic (above it).
- It is less metallic and more reactive than bismuth (below it).
