What are the uses of antimony?

A lead-antimony alloy is used in batteries. Other uses of antimony alloys include type metal (in printing presses), bullets and cable sheathing. Antimony compounds are used to make flame-retardant materials, paints, enamels, glass and pottery.

Why does antimony have non metallic properties?

Because it is semi metallic, it exists as both a metal and non-metal. The metallic form is silvery, bright, brittle and hard while the non-metallic form is a grayish powder. Like many elements in its group, antimony is a poor conductor of heat and electricity.

Why is antimony used in diodes?

Antimony is a brittle metal and is a poor conductor of heat and electricity. Very pure antimony is used to make certain types of semiconductor devices, such as diodes and infrared detectors. Antimony is alloyed with lead to increase lead’s durability.

How many valence electron does antimony have?

Antimony contains 5 electrons in its outer shell, thus it has 5 valence electrons. The electronic configuration of Antimony is 2, 8, 18, 18, 5.

What are the uses of germanium?

The largest use of germanium is in the semiconductor industry. When doped with small amounts of arsenic, gallium, indium, antimony or phosphorus, germanium is used to make transistors for use in electronic devices. Germanium is also used to create alloys and as a phosphor in fluorescent lamps.

What are the uses of polonium?

Polonium is an alpha-emitter, hence it is used in antistatic devices and for research purposes. It is used in the form of a thin film on a stainless steel disc as an alpha-particle source. It is used to eliminate static electricity produced during processes such as rolling paper, wire and sheet metal.

What is iron used for in construction?

Today, cast iron is used for plumbing fixtures and piping in new construction, and its structural and decorative use is used occasionally through historic preservation practices. Sheet iron can be subject to rapid corrosion, forming rust.

Is antimony Reactive or nonreactive?

Antimony and bismuth are relatively unreactive metals, but form compounds with oxygen and the halogens in which their oxidation states are +3 and +5 (as in Bi 2O 3 and SbF 5).

How is antimony used in pottery?

Antimony oxide is used as an opacifier in porcelain enamel (mainly leadless but it has been replaced to an extent by titania) and ceramic glazes. The brick industry employs antimony to bleach the surface of red-burning clay to a buff color to produce variegated coloration.

What are the different uses of antimony?

One of the antimony’s earliest metallic uses came in the mid-15th century when it was added as a hardening agent in cast metal printing type used by Johannes Gutenberg’s first printing presses. By the 1500s, antimony was reportedly being added to alloys used to produce church bells because it resulted in a pleasant tone when struck.

How did antimony become a strategic war metal?

In 1784, British General Henry Shrapnel developed a lead alloy containing 10-13 percent antimony that could be formed into spherical bullets and used in artillery shells in 1784. As a result of the British military’s adoption of Shrapnel’s technology in the 19th century, antimony became a strategic war metal.

Is antimony a chalcophile?

Antimony is chalcophile, occurring with sulfur and the heavy metals, lead, copper, and silver . Over a hundred minerals of antimony are found in nature. Stibnite (Sb2S3) is the predominant ore mineral of antimony . The most important use of antimony metal is as a hardener in lead for storage batteries.

How is antimony extracted from its ore?

It is most often found as antimony (III) sulfide. It is extracted by roasting the antimony (III) sulfide to the oxide, and then reducing with carbon. Antimony can also be found as the native metal. China produces 88% of the world’s antimony.