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antimony

  (ăn'tə-mō') pronunciation
n. (Symbol Sb)

A metallic element having four allotropic forms, the most common of which is a hard, extremely brittle, lustrous, silver-white, crystalline material. It is used in a wide variety of alloys, especially with lead in battery plates, and in the manufacture of flame-proofing compounds, paint, semiconductor devices, and ceramic products. Atomic number 51; atomic weight 121.76; melting point 630.5°C; boiling point 1,380°C; specific gravity 6.691; valence 3, 5.

[Middle English antimonie, from Medieval Latin antimōnium, perhaps from Arabic al-’itmid : al-, the + ’itmid, antimony (perhaps from Greek stimmi).]


 
 

A chemical element, symbol Sb, atomic number 51. Antimony is not a naturally abundant element; it is occasionally found native, often in isomorphous mixture with arsenic, as allemonite. The symbol Sb is derived from the Latin name stibium. See also Periodic table.

The element is dimorphic, existing as a yellow, metastable form composed of Sb4 molecules, as in antimony vapor and the structural unit in yellow antimony; and a gray, metallic form, which crystallizes with a layered rhombohedral structure. Antimony differs from normal metals in having a lower electrical conductivity as a solid than as a liquid (as does its congener, bismuth). Metallic antimony is quite brittle, bluish-white with a typical metallic luster, but a flaky appearance. Although stable in air at normal temperatures, it burns brilliantly when heated, with the formation of a white smoke of Sb2O3. Vaporization of the metal gives molecules of Sb4O6, which break down to Sb2O3 above the transition temperature.

Antimony occurs in nature mainly as Sb2S3 (stibnite, antimonite); Sb2O3 (valentinite) occurs as a decomposition product of stibnite. Antimony is commonly found in ores of copper, silver, and lead. The metal antimonides NiSb (breithaupite), NiSbS (ullmannite), and Ag2Sb (dicrasite) also are found naturally; there are numerous thioantimonates such as Ag3SbS3 (pyrargyrite).

Antimony is produced either by roasting the sulfide with iron, or by roasting the sulfide and reducing the sublimate of Sb4O6 thus produced with carbon; high-purity antimony is produced by electrolytic refining.

Commercial-grade antimony is used in many alloys (1–20%), especially lead alloys, which are much harder and mechanically stronger than pure lead; batteries, cable sheathing, antifriction bearings, and type metal consume almost half of all the antimony produced. The valuable property of Sn-Sb-Pb alloys, that they expand on cooling from the melt, thus enabling the production of sharp castings, makes them especially useful as type metal.


 

Toxic metal of no known metabolic function, and therefore not a dietary essential. Antimony compounds are used in treatment of some parasitic diseases.

 

n

A bluish crystalline metallic element occurring in nature both free and as salts. Antimony compounds are used in the treatment of filariasis, leishmaniasis, and other parasitic diseases. Antimony is also used as an emetic.

 

Semimetallic to metallic chemical element (see metal), chemical symbol Sb, atomic number 51. Of its various allotropes, the most common is a lustrous, bluish, brittle, flaky solid. In nature antimony occurs chiefly as the gray sulfide mineral stibnite, Sb2S3. Pure antimony metal has no important uses, but its alloys and compounds are extremely useful. Some antimony alloys have the rare quality of expanding on solidifying; these are used for castings and for type metal. Alloys with lead are used in car batteries, bullets, and cable sheaths. Antifriction alloys with tin and lead (babbitt metals) are used as components of machine bearings. Antimony compounds (valences 3, 4, and 5) are widely used as flame retardants in paints, plastics, rubber, and textiles; others are used as paint pigments.

For more information on antimony, visit Britannica.com.

 
(ăn'tĭmō') [Lat. antimoneum], semimetallic chemical element; symbol Sb [Lat. stibium,=a mark]; at. no. 51; at. wt. 121.75; m.p. 630.74°C; b.p. 1,750°C; sp. gr. (metallic form) 6.69 at 20°C; valence 0, +3, −3, or +5. Antimony exists in two allotropic forms (see allotropy); the more common is silvery blue-white and has a rhombohedral crystalline structure. It is a poor conductor of heat and electricity and is brittle and easily powdered. It is primarily used in alloys and chemical compounds. It is a member of Group 15 of the periodic table. Antimony rarely occurs free in nature, but its ores are widely distributed. The principal ore is stibnite, a sulfur compound known since early times; there are extensive deposits in China. Antimony is often found in other ores as well, e.g., silver, copper, and lead. The pure element antimony is produced from the ore by roasting it to form the oxide, then reducing the oxide with carbon or iron; often a flux of sodium sulfate or sodium carbonate is used to prevent loss of molten antimony by evaporation. Antimony does not react with air or water at room temperature; it does react with fluorine, chlorine, or bromine and is soluble in hot nitric or sulfuric acid; at higher temperatures, antimony will ignite and burn in air. It unites with hydrogen to form stibine, a poisonous gas. In combination with metals antimony forms alloys that are hard and brittle and have low melting points. The alloys of antimony include britannia metal, type metal, Babbitt metal, and sometimes pewter; these alloys expand on cooling, thereby retaining fine details of a mold. Alloys and compounds of antimony are used in bearings, storage batteries, safety matches, and as a red pigment in paint. Although antimony and many of its compounds are toxic, tartar emetic (potassium antimonyl tartrate) is used as a medicine. Small concentrations of antimony can be detected by a method similar to the Marsh test for arsenic. Antimony is mixed with soot and other substances to make kohl, used for centuries by women in some countries as an eye cosmetic. A method for the extraction of antimony from stibnite was first described c.1600 by Basilius Valentinus. Although known to the ancients, the element was first adequately described by Nicolas Lémery in 1707.


 

A chemical element, atomic number 51, atomic weight 121.75, symbol Sb. Trivalent and pentavalent antimony compounds are used in medicine as anti-infective agents in the treatment of tropical diseases, especially those of protozoan origin. All antimony compounds are potentially poisonous and must be used with caution. See also stibogluconate, meglumine.

  • a. poisoning — resembles arsenic poisoning. Signs include vomiting and diarrhea. Postmortem lesions are those of gastroenteritis.
  • a. potassium tartrate — a nauseant expectorant and ruminatoric. Also used as an antiparasitic agent in schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis. Called also tarter emetic.
 
Wikipedia: antimony
51 tinantimonytellurium
As

Sb

Bi
Sb-TableImage.png
General
Name, Symbol, Number antimony, Sb, 51
Chemical series metalloids
Group, Period, Block 15, 5, p
Appearance silvery lustrous grey
Sb,51.jpg
Standard atomic weight 121.760(1)  g·mol−1
Electron configuration [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p3
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 18, 5
Physical properties
Phase solid
Density (near r.t.) 6.697  g·cm−3
Liquid density at m.p. 6.53  g·cm−3
Melting point 903.78 K
(630.63 °C, 1167.13 °F)
Boiling point 1860 K
(1587 °C, 2889 °F)
Heat of fusion 19.79  kJ·mol−1
Heat of vaporization 193.43  kJ·mol−1
Heat capacity (25 °C) 25.23  J·mol−1·K−1
Vapor pressure
P(Pa) 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k
at T(K) 807 876 1011 1219 1491 1858
Atomic properties
Crystal structure rhombohedral
Oxidation states −3, 3, 5
Electronegativity 2.05 (scale Pauling)
Ionization energies
(more)
1st:  834  kJ·mol−1
2nd:  1594.9  kJ·mol−1
3rd:  2440  kJ·mol−1
Atomic radius 145pm
Atomic radius (calc.) 133  pm
Covalent radius 138  pm
Miscellaneous
Magnetic ordering no data
Electrical resistivity (20 °C) 417 n Ω·m
Thermal conductivity (300 K) 24.4  W·m−1·K−1
Thermal expansion (25 °C) 11.0  µm·m−1·K−1
Speed of sound (thin rod) (20 °C) 3420 m/s
Young's modulus 55  GPa
Shear modulus 20  GPa
Bulk modulus 42  GPa
Mohs hardness 3.0
Brinell hardness 294  MPa
CAS registry number 7440-36-0
Selected isotopes
Main article: Isotopes of antimony
iso NA half-life DM DE (MeV) DP
121Sb 57.36% Sb is stable with 70 neutrons
123Sb 42.64% Sb is stable with 72 neutrons
125Sb syn 2.7582 y Beta- 0.767 125Te
References

Antimony (IPA: (North America) 'æntəməʊni (British English) 'æntəməni) is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Sb (Latin: stibium, meaning "mark") and atomic number 51. A metalloid, antimony has four allotropic forms. The stable form of antimony is a blue-white metalloid. Yellow and black antimony are unstable non-metals. Antimony is used in flame-proofing, paints, ceramics, enamels, a wide variety of alloys, electronics, and rubber.

Notable characteristics

Antimony in its elemental form is a silvery white, brittle, fusible, crystalline solid that exhibits poor electrical and heat conductivity properties and vaporizes at low temperatures. A metalloid, antimony resembles a metal in its appearance and in many of its physical properties, but does not chemically react as a metal. It is also attacked by oxidizing acids and halogens. Antimony and some of its alloys are unusual in that they expand on cooling. Antimony is geochemically categorized as a chalcophile, occurring with sulfur and the heavy metals lead, copper, and silver.

Estimates of the abundance of antimony in the Earth's crust range from 0.2 to 0.5 ppm. According to New Scientist (26 May 2007)[1] the earth has an estimated thirty years supply left of this element; however, with anticipated increases in demand the supply could be exhausted in 15 years.

Applications

Antimony is increasingly being used in the semiconductor industry in the production of diodes, infrared detectors, and Hall-effect devices. As an alloy, this metalloid greatly increases lead's hardness and mechanical strength. The most important use of antimony is as a hardener in lead for storage batteries. Uses include:

Antimony compounds in the form of oxides, sulfides, sodium antimonate, and antimony trichloride are used in the making of flame-proofing compounds, ceramic enamels, glass, paints, and pottery. Antimony trioxide is the most important of the antimony compounds and is primarily used in flame-retardant formulations. These flame-retardant applications include such markets as children's clothing, toys, aircraft and automobile seat covers. Also, antimony sulfide is one of the ingredients of safety matches.

The natural sulfide of antimony, stibnite, was known and used in Biblical times as medicine and as a cosmetic. Stibnite is still used in some developing countries as medicine. Antimony has been used for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Antimony attaches itself to sulfur atoms in certain enzymes which are used by both the parasite and human host. Small doses can kill the parasite without causing damage to the patient. Antimony and its compounds are used in several veterinary preparations like Anthiomaline or Lithium antimony thiomalate, which is used as a skin conditioner in ruminants. Antimony has a nourishing or conditioning effect on keratinized tissues, at least in animals. Tartar emetic is another antimony preparation which is used as an anti-schistosomal drug. Treatments chiefly involving antimony have been called antimonials.

A coin made of antimony was issued in the Keichow Province of China in 1931. The coins were not popular, being too soft and they wore quickly when in circulation. After the first issue no others were produced.[2]

Names of antimony

The ancient words for antimony mostly have, as their chief meaning, kohl, the sulfide of antimony. Pliny the Elder, however, distinguishes between male and female forms of antimony; his male form is probably the sulfide, the female form, which is superior, heavier, and less friable, is probably native metallic antimony.[3]

The Egyptians called antimony mśdmt; in hieroglyphics, the vowels are uncertain, but there is an Arabic tradition that the word is mesdemet.[4] The Greek word, stimmi, is probably a loan word from Arabic or Egyptian, and is used by the Attic tragic poets of the 5th century BC; later Greeks also used stibi, as did Celsus and Pliny, writing in Latin, in the first century AD. Pliny also gives the names stimi [sic], larbaris, alabaster, and the "very common" platyophthalmos, "wide-eye" (from the effect of the cosmetic). Later Latin authors adapted the word to Latin as stibium. The Arabic word for the substance, as opposed to the cosmetic, can appear as ithmid, athmoud, othmod, or uthmod. Littré suggests the first form, which is the earliest, derives from stimmida, (one) accusative for stimmi.[5]

The use of Sb as the standard chemical symbol for antimony is due to the 18th century chemical pioneer, Jöns Jakob Berzelius, who used this abbreviation of the name stibium.

The medieval Latin form, from which the modern languages, and late Byzantine Greek, take their names, is antimonium. The origin of this is uncertain; all suggestions have some difficulty either of form or interpretation. The popular etymology, from anti-monachos or French antimoine, still has adherents; this would mean "monk-killer", and is explained by many early alchemists being monks, and antimony being poisonous.[6] So does the hypothetical Greek word antimonos, "against one", explained as "not found as metal", or "not found unalloyed".[7] Lippmann conjectured a Greek word, anthemonion, which would mean "floret", and he cites several examples of related Greek words (but not that one) which describe chemical or biological efflorescence.[8]

The early uses of antimonium include the translations, in 1050-1100, by Constantine the African of Arabic medical treatises.[9] Several authorities believe that antimonium is a scribal corruption of some Arabic form; Meyerhof derives it from ithmid;[10] other possibilities include Athimar, the Arabic name of the metal, and a hypothetical *as-stimmi, derived from or parallel to, the Greek.[11]

History

Antimony's sulfide compound, antimony (III) trisulfide, Sb2S3 was recognized in antiquity, at least as early as 3000 BC. Pastes of Sb2S3 powder in fat[12] or in other materials have been used since that date as eye cosmetics in the Middle East and farther afield; in this use, Sb2S3 is called "kohl". It was used to darken the brows and lashes, or to draw a line around the perimeter of the eye.

An artifact made of antimony dating to about 3000 BC was found at Tello, Chaldea (part of present day Iraq), and a copper object plated with antimony dating between 2500 BC and 2200 BC has been found in Egypt.[13] There is some uncertainty as to the description of the artifact from Tello. Although it is sometimes reported to be a vase, a recent detailed discussion of it reports it to be rather a fragment of indeterminate purpose.[14]

According to the history of metallurgy, the first description of a procedure for isolating antimony is in the book De la pirotechnia of 1540 by Vannoccio Biringuccio, written in Italian. This book precedes the more famous 1556 book in Latin by Agricola, De re metallica, even though Agricola has been often incorrectly credited with the discovery of metallic antimony.

Alchemical symbol for antimony
Alchemical symbol for antimony

According to the traditional history of western alchemy, metallic antimony was described (previous to Biringuccio) by the putative Prior Basilius Valentinus in a Latin manuscript, Currus Triumphalis Antimonii, supposedly circa 1450. This manuscript was published in 1604 in English translation as The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, by Johann Thölde (1565–1614). The marvelous discovery of a complete set of Valentinus' manuscripts, including the alchemical tales, is fully described by Jean-Jacques Manget in his Bibliotheca chemica curiosa (1702): the manuscripts had been enclosed for more than a century in a pillar of St. Peter's Abbey, at Erfurt, until the pillar was shattered by a thunderbolt. Many scholars have considered Basilius Valentinus a mythological personage. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) declared, after careful enquiry, that no Prior Valentinus ever existed in the Abbey of Erfurt, rather that the name was only a pseudonym – probably of Thölde himself – used to merge poorly translated materials of various origins.

According to the traditional history of Middle Eastern alchemy, pure antimony was well known to Geber, sometimes called "the Father of Chemistry", in the 8th century. Here there is still an open controversy: Marcellin Berthelot, who translated a number of Geber's books, stated that antimony is never mentioned in them, but other authors claim that Berthelot translated only some of the less important books, while the more interesting ones (some of which might describe antimony) are not yet translated, and their content is completely unknown.

Sources

Native massive antimony with oxidation products
Enlarge
Native massive antimony with oxidation products
Antimony output in 2005
Enlarge
Antimony output in 2005
World production trend of antimony
Enlarge
World production trend of antimony

Even though this element is not abundant, it is found in over 100 mineral species. Antimony is sometimes found native, but more frequently it is found in the sulfide stibnite (Sb2S3) which is the predominant ore mineral. Commercial forms of antimony are generally ingots, broken pieces, granules, and cast cake. Other forms are powder, shot, and single crystals.

In 2005, China was the top producer of antimony with about 84% world share followed at a distance by South Africa, Bolivia and Tajikistan, reports the British Geological Survey.

Country Tonnes % of total
People's Republic of China 126,000 84.0
South Africa 6,000 4.0
Bolivia 5,225 3.5
Tajikistan 4,073 2.7
Russia 3,000 2.0
Top 5 144,298 96.2
Total world 150,000 100.0

Chiffres de 2003, métal contenue dans les minerais et concentrés, source: L'état du monde 2005

The largest mine in China is Xikuangshan mine in Hunan Province.

See also Antimonide minerals, Antimonate minerals.

Precautions

Skull_and_crossbones.svg

Antimony and many of its compounds are toxic. Clinically, antimony poisoning is very similar to arsenic poisoning. In small doses, antimony causes headache, dizziness, and depression. Larger doses cause violent and frequent vomiting, and will lead to death in a few days.

See also arsenic poisoning.

Leaching from PET

A study found that antimony is leaching from PET bottles (reported for some acidic fruit drinks),[citation needed] but at levels below drinking water guidelines. The guidelines are:

  • WHO, 20 µg l–1
  • Japan, 15 µg l–1[15]
  • US EPA, Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, 6 µg l–1
  • German Federal Ministry of Environment, 5 µg l–1[16]

The acidic nature of the drink is sufficient to dissolve small amounts of antimony oxide contained in the packaging of the drink;[citation needed] modern manufacturing methods prevent this occurrence.[citation needed] However, researchers are concerned that antimony levels correspond to duration the bottle is left to stand - the longer the beverage has been bottled, the higher the antimony leached.[citation needed]

Compounds

See also Antimony compounds.

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] New Scientist, "Earth's natural wealth: an audit"
  2. ^ http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/metal.html
  3. ^ Pliny, Natural history, 33.33; W.H.S. Jones, the Loeb translator, supplies a note suggesting the identifications.
  4. ^ Albright, p.230; Sarton p.541, quotes Meyerhof, the translator of the book he is reviewing.
  5. ^ LSJ, s.v., vocalisation, spelling, and declension vary; Endlich, p.28; Celsus, 6.6.6 ff; Pliny Natural History 33.33; Lewis and Short: Latin Dictionary. OED, s. "antimony".
  6. ^ The use of a symbol resembeling an upside down "female" symbol for antimony could also hint at a satirical pun in this origin
  7. ^ See, for example, Diana Fernando, Alchemy : an illustrated A to Z (1998) and Kirk-Othmer (below) respectively. Fernando even derives it from the story of how "Basil Valentine" and his fellow monastic alchemists poisoned themselves by working with antimony; antimonium is found two centuries before his time. "Popular etymology" from OED; as for antimonos, the pure negative would be more naturally expressed by a- "not". .
  8. ^ Lippman, p.643-5
  9. ^ Lippman, p.642, writing in 1919, says "zuerst".
  10. ^ Meyerhof as quoted in Sarton, p.541, asserts that ithmid or athmoud became corrupted in the medieval "traductions barbaro-latines".; the OED asserts that some Arabic form is the origin, and if ithmid is the root, posits athimodium, atimodium, atimonium, as intermediate forms.
  11. ^ Endlich, p.28; one of the advantages of as-stimmi would be that it has a whole syllable in common with antimonium.
  12. ^ Priesner and Figala
  13. ^ Kirk-Othmer, entry "Antimony"
  14. ^ The fragment was presented in a lecture in 1892. One contemporary commented, "we only know of antimony at the present day as a highly brittle and crystaline metal, which could hardly be fashioned into a useful vase, and therefore this remarkable 'find' must represent the lost art of rendering antimony malleable." Moorey 1994:241
  15. ^ H. Wakayama, Table 2, p. 84
  16. ^ Shotyk et al., 2006

Bibliography

  • W. F. Albright "Notes on Egypto-Semitic Etymology. II", The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 34, No. 4. (Jul., 1918), pp. 215-255. JSTOR link. esp p.230
  • Endlich, F.M. "On Some Interesting Derivations of Mineral Names", The American Naturalist, Vol. 22, No. 253. (Jan., 1888), pp. 21-32. JSTOR link. p.28
  • Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th ed. 2004. Entry for antimony.
  • Lippmann, E O von [Edmund Oscar]. 1919. Entstehung und Ausbreitung der Alchemie, teil 1. Berlin: Julius Springer. In German.
  • Moorey, PRS. 1994. Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: the Archaeological Evidence. New York: Clarendon Press.
  • Priesner, Claus and Figala, Karin, eds. 1998. Alchemie. Lexikon einer hermetischen Wissenschaft. München: C.H. Beck. 412 p. In German.
  • Sarton, George. 1935. Review of Al-morchid fi'l-kohhl, ou Le guide d'oculistique, translated by Max Meyerhof. Isis (Feb. 1935), 22(2):539-542 (The journal Isis is in the JSTOR archive.) In French.
  • Shotyk, William; Krachler, Michael; Chen, Bin. Contamination of Canadian and European bottled waters with antimony from PET containers J. Environ. Monit 2006, 8:288-292 DOI: 10.1039/b517844b
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory – Antimony
  • Public Health Statement for Antimony
  • Wakayama, Hiroshi, "Revision of Drinking Water Standards in Japan", Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Japan), 2003

External links

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Translations: Translations for: Antimony

Dansk (Danish)
n. - antimon

Nederlands (Dutch)
antimonium

Français (French)
n. - antimoine

Deutsch (German)
n. - (chem. min.) Antimon

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (χημ.) αντιμόνιο

Italiano (Italian)
antimonio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - antimônio (m) (Quím.)

Русский (Russian)
сурьма

Español (Spanish)
n. - antimonio

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - antimon (kem.)

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 銻

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (화학) 안티모니

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - アンチモン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) انتيمون : معدن ذو لون فضي يستعمل في تقويه المعادن الأخرى‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אנטימון (יסוד מתכתי, BS, מס' אטומי 15)‬


 
 

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