
[Middle English, from Old English.]
WORD HISTORY The origins of the word tin may date to a time before Europe had been settled by speakers of Indo-European languages, such as the Germanic and Celtic languages. Related words for this metal are found in almost all Germanic languages, such as German Zinn, Swedish tenn, and Old English tin (as in Modern English), but no other Indo-European language family has such a word. This fact suggests that the word tin may have been borrowed into the Germanic languages from a pre-Indo-European language of Western Europe. This possibility is supported by the Bronze Age importation to the Near East of tin and copper from Europe, where the metals were produced and metal objects were manufactured. Lest we be too amazed by this accomplishment, we might remember another remarkable achievement of pre-Indo-European society, the construction of huge megalithic monuments such as Stonehenge.
For more information on tin, visit Britannica.com.
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Sidebar: In the 1800s, tin was an ordinary household material particularly popular with the working class because of its low cost and bright luster. Made of iron or steel rolled thin and dipped in molten tin, it was easy to manipulate, cut, and solder. Tin was used for nearly everything that copper, pewter, brass, or silver could be used for, but generally did not last as long. Reviewing tin catalogs from about 1870 reveals that tin was used for far more than cookie cutters—it was used to make children's toys, coffeepots, lunch boxes, and even gentlemen's spitoonsl However, it was also popularly used to produce a gift for the tenth anniversary, called the "tin anniversary." While not as well-known as the twenty-fifth, which requires silver gifts, the Victorian housewife knew she might well receive a tenth anniversary gift of tin like the tin bonnet depicted here. Shaped in the form of a "spoon bonnet" popular about 1870, it is likely that this piece dates to that time. Certainly, it can't be worn, but was meant to be displayed on a shelf as a remembrance of that anniversary. Tinsmiths provided whimsical gifts just for this purpose. Museum collections include not only hats but tin shoes and decorative vases that could never be used to hold water. NancyEV Bryk |
Background
Tin is one of the basic chemical elements. When refined, it is a silvery-white metal known for its resistance to corrosion and its ability to coat other metals. It is most commonly used as a plating on the steel sheets used to form cans for food containers. Tin is also combined with copper to form bronze and with lead to form solder. A tin compound, stannous fluoride, is often added to toothpaste as a source of fluoride to prevent tooth decay.
The earliest use of tin dates to about 3500 B.C. in what is now Turkey, where it was first mined and processed. Ancient metalworkers learned to combine relatively soft copper with tin to form a much harder bronze, which could be made into tools and weapons that were more durable and stayed sharp longer. This discovery started what is known as the Bronze Age, which lasted about 2,000 years. The superiority of bronze tools spurred the search for other sources of tin. When extensive tin deposits were found in England, traders brought the precious metal to countries in the Mediterranean area, but kept the source a secret. It wasn't until 310 B.C. that the Greek explorer Pytheas discovered the location of the mines near what is now Cornwall, England. Much of the impetus for the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 A.D. was to control the tin trade. The chemical symbol for tin, Sn, is derived from the Latin name for the material, stannum.
Elsewhere in the world, tin was used in ancient China and among an unknown tribe in what is now South Africa. By about 2500-2000 B.C., metalworkers on the Khorat Plateau of northeast Thailand used local sources of tin and copper to produce bronze, and by about 1600 B.C. bronze plows were being used in what is now Vietnam. Tin was also known and used in Mexico and Peru before the Spanish conquest in the 1500s.
The use of tin as a plating material dates to the time of the Roman Empire, when copper vessels were coated with tin to keep them bright looking. Tinned iron vessels appeared in central Europe, in the 1300s. Thin sheets of iron coated with tin, called tinplate, became available in England during the mid-1600s and were used to make metal containers. In 1810, Pierre Durand of France patented a method of preserving food in sealed tinplate cans. Although it took many years of experimenting to perfect this new technique, tin cans began replacing bottles for food packaging by the mid-1800s.
In 1839, Isaac Babbitt of the United States invented an antifriction alloy, called Babbitt metal, which consisted of tin, antimony, and copper. It was widely used in bearings and greatly assisted the development of high-speed machinery and transportation.
In 1952, the firm of Pilkington in England revolutionized the glassmaking industry with the introduction of the "float glass" method for the continuous production of sheet glass. In this method, the molten glass floats on a bath of liquid, molten tin as it cools. This produces a very flat glass surface without the rolling, grinding, and polishing operations that were required prior to the introduction of this method.
Today, most of the world's tin is produced in Malaysia, Bolivia, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Nigeria, and England. There are no major tin deposits in the United States.
Raw Materials
There are nine tin-bearing ores found naturally in the earth's crust, but the only one that is mined to any extent is cassiterite. In addition to the ores themselves, several other materials are often used to process and refine tin. These include limestone, silica, and salt. Carbon, in the form of coal or fuel oil, is also used. The presence of high concentrations of certain chemicals in the ore may require the use of other materials.
The Manufacturing
Process
The process of extracting tin from tin ore varies according to the source of the ore deposit and the amount of impurities found in the ore. The tin deposits in Bolivia and England are located deep underground and require the use of tunnels to reach the ore. The ore in these deposits may contain about 0.8-1.0% tin by weight. Tin deposits in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are located in the gravel along streambeds and require the use of dredges or pumps to reach the ore. The ore in these deposits may contain as little as 0.015% tin by weight. Over 80% of the world's tin is found in these low-grade gravel deposits.
Regardless of the source, each process consists of several steps in which the unwanted materials are physically or chemically removed, and the concentration of tin is progressively increased. Some of these steps are conducted at the mine site, while others may be conducted at separate facilities.
Here are the steps used to process the low-grade ore typically found in gravel deposits in Southeast Asia:
Mining
When the gravel deposits are located in dry areas at or above the water level in the stream, they are first broken up with jets of water pumped through large nozzles. The resulting muddy slurry is trapped in an artificial pond. A pump located at the lowest point in the pond pumps the slurry up into a wooden trough, called a palong, which has a gentle downward slope along its length. The tin ore, which is heavier than the sand and soil in the mud, tends to sink and is trapped behind a series of wooden slats, called riffles. Periodically the trapped ore is dumped from the palong and is collected for further processing.
Concentrating
Smelting
Refining
Quality Control
The processes described have been proven to consistently produce tin at 99% purity and higher. To ensure this purity, samples are analyzed at various steps to determine whether any adjustments to the processes are required.
In the United States, the purity levels for commercial grades of tin are defined by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Standard Classification B339. The highest grade is AAA, which contains 99.98% tin and is used for research. Grade A, which contains 99.80% tin, is used to form tinplate for food containers. Grades B, C, D, and E are lesser grades ranging down to 99% purity. They are used to make general-purpose tin alloys such as bronze and solder.
Byproducts/Waste
There are no useful byproducts produced from tin processing.
Waste products include the soil, sand, and stones that are rejected during the mining and concentrating operations. These constitute a huge amount of material, but their environmental impact depends on the local disposal practices and the concentrations of other minerals that may be present. The slag produced during the smelting and refining operations is also a waste product. It may contain quantities of arsenic, lead, and other materials that are potentially harmful. Tin itself has no known harmful effects on humans or the environment.
The Future
The use of tin is expected to grow as new applications are developed. Because tin has no known detrimental effects, it is expected to replace other more environmentally harmful metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. One new application is the formulation of tin-silver solders to replace tinlead solders in the electronics industry. Another application is the use of tin shot to replace lead shot in shotgun shells.
Development work is underway to create a tin-based compound for use in refuse disposal landfill sites. This compound will interact with heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium, to prevent rain water from carrying them into the surrounding soil and water table.
Where to Learn More
Books
Brady, George S., Henry R. Clauser, and John A. Vaccari. Materials Handbook, 14th Edition. McGraw-Hill, 1997.
Heiserman, David L. Exploring Chemical Elements and Their Compounds. TAB Books, 1992.
Hornbostel, Caleb. Construction Materials, 2nd Edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1991.
Kroschwitz, Jacqueline 1. and Mary Howe-Grant, ed. Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 4th edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1993.
Stwertka, Albert. A Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press, 1996.
Periodicals
"Bronze Age Mine Found in Turkey," Science News (January 15, 1994): 46.
Other
http://www.intercorr.com/periodic/50.htm.
International Tin Research Institute. http://www.itri.co.udk.
[Article by: Chris Cavette]
A chemical element, symbol Sn, atomic number 50, atomic weight 118.69. Tin forms tin(II) or stannous (Sn2+), and tin(IV) or stannic (Sn4+) compounds, as well as complex salts of the stannite (M2SnX4) and stannate (M2SnX6) types. See also Periodic table.
Tin melts at a low temperature, is highly fluid when molten, and has a high boiling point. It is soft and pliable and is corrosion-resistant to many media. An important use of tin has been for tin-coated steel containers (tin cans) used for preserving foods and beverages. Other important uses are solder alloys, bearing metals, bronzes, pewter, and miscellaneous industrial alloys. Tin chemicals, both inorganic and organic, find extensive use in the electroplating, ceramic, plastic, and agricultural industries.
The most important tin-bearing mineral is cassiterite, SnO2. No high-grade deposits of this mineral are known. The bulk of the world's tin ore is obtained from low-grade alluvial deposits. See also Cassiterite.
Two allotropic forms of tin exist: white (β) and gray (α) tin. Tin reacts with both strong acids and strong bases, but it is relatively resistant to solutions that are nearly neutral. In a wide variety of corrosive conditions, hydrogen gas is not evolved from tin and the rate of corrosion becomes controlled by the supply of oxygen or other oxidizing agents. In their absence, corrosion is negligible. A thin film of stannic oxide forms on tin upon exposure to air and provides surface protection. Salts that have an acid reaction in solution, such as aluminum chloride and ferric chloride, attack tin in the presence of oxidizers or air. Most nonaqueous liquids, such as oils, alcohols, or chlorinated hydrocarbons, have slight or no obvious effect on tin. Tin metal and the simple inorganic salts of tin are nontoxic. Some forms of organotin compounds, on the other hand, are toxic. Some important physical constants for tin are shown in the table.
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Melting point, °C | 231.9 |
Boiling point, °C | 2270 |
Specific gravity, α form (gray tin) | 5.77 |
β form (white tin) | 7.29 |
Specific heat, cal/g*, white tin at 25°C | 0.053 |
Gray tin at 10°C | 0.049 |
*1 cal = 4.184 joules.
Stannous oxide, SnO, is a blue-black, crystalline product which is soluble in common acids and strong alkalies. It is used in making stannous salts for plating and glass manufacture. Stannic oxide, SnO2, is a white powder, insoluble in acids and alkalies. It is an excellent glaze opacifier, a component of pink, yellow, and maroon ceramic stains and of dielectric and refractory bodies. It is an important polishing agent for marble and decorative stones.
Stannous chloride, SnCl2, is the major ingredient in the acid electrotinning electrolyte and is an intermediate for tin chemicals. Stannic chloride, SnCl4, in the pentahydrate form is a white solid. It is used in the preparation of organotin compounds and chemicals to weight silk and to stabilize perfume and colors in soap. Stannous fluoride, SnF2, a white water-soluble compound, is a toothpaste additive.
Organotin compounds are those compounds in which at least one tin-carbon bond exists, the tin usually being present in the + IV oxidation state. Organotin compounds that find applications in industry are the compounds with the general formula R4Sn, R3SnX, R2SnX2, and RSnX3. R is an organic group, often methyl, butyl, octyl, or phenyl, while X is an inorganic substituent, commonly chloride, fluoride, oxide, hydroxide, carboxylate, or thiolate. See also Tin alloys.
(1) (Threaded Internet Newsreader) A newsreader for Usenet newsgroups that maintains message threads. It is based on the tass newsreader, which was derived from Plato Notes. See Usenet.
(2) (TIN) A common acronym for "tax ID number."
(3) (TIN) (Tax Identification Number) See healthcare IT.
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A metal; a dietary essential for experimental animals, but so widely distributed in foods that no deficiency has been reported in human beings, and its function, if any, is not known. In the absence of oxygen tin is resistant to corrosion; hence its use in cans for food.
1. A lustrous white, soft, and malleable metal having a low melting point; relatively unaffected by exposure to air; used for making alloys and solder and in coating sheet metal.
2. To coat with a layer of tin.
Soft bright silvery-white malleable metal (Sn) with a low melting point that resists corrosion, occurring naturally in cassiterite and other ores. Used in alloys, especially as a constituent of bronze (along with copper and lead) from early Bronze Age times onwards. Tin ores are relatively scarce in the Old World, the main sources being Cornwall in Britain, northwest Spain, and Bohemia. Lesser sources may have been used in central Italy and eastern Turkey, along with highly localized outcrops now lost. As a result, tin was widely traded in antiquity.
Life is rather like a tin of sardines, we're all of us looking for the key.
— Alan Bennett, Source: Beyond the Fringe.
LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!
| time, timbers, tile | |
| tin Lizzie, tin back, tin ear |
A chemical element, atomic number 50, atomic weight 118.69, symbol Sn.

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| Appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| silvery (left, beta) or gray (right, alpha) |
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| General properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name, symbol, number | tin, Sn, 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pronunciation | /ˈtɪn/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Element category | post-transition metal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Group, period, block | 14, 5, p | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standard atomic weight | 118.710 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrons per shell | 2, 8, 18, 18, 4 (Image) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phase | solid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Density (near r.t.) | (white) 7.365 g·cm−3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Density (near r.t.) | (gray) 5.769 g·cm−3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Liquid density at m.p. | 6.99 g·cm−3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melting point | 505.08 K, 231.93 °C, 449.47 °F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boiling point | 2875 K, 2602 °C, 4716 °F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heat of fusion | (white) 7.03 kJ·mol−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heat of vaporization | (white) 296.1 kJ·mol−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Molar heat capacity | (white) 27.112 J·mol−1·K−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vapor pressure | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Atomic properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oxidation states | 4, 2, -4 (amphoteric oxide) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electronegativity | 1.96 (Pauling scale) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ionization energies | 1st: 708.6 kJ·mol−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd: 1411.8 kJ·mol−1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd: 2943.0 kJ·mol−1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic radius | 140 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Covalent radius | 139±4 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Van der Waals radius | 217 pm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miscellanea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystal structure note | Tetragonal (white), diamond cubic (gray) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Magnetic ordering | (gray)diamagnetic[1], (white) paramagnetic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrical resistivity | (0 °C) 115 nΩ·m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thermal conductivity | 66.8 W·m−1·K−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thermal expansion | (25 °C) 22.0 µm·m−1·K−1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Young's modulus | 50 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shear modulus | 18 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bulk modulus | 58 GPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poisson ratio | 0.36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohs hardness | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brinell hardness | 51 MPa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CAS registry number | 7440-31-5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most stable isotopes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Main article: Isotopes of tin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tin (
/ˈtɪn/ TIN) is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (for Latin: stannum) and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4. Tin is the 49th most abundant element and has, with 10 stable isotopes, the largest number of stable isotopes in the periodic table. Tin is obtained chiefly from the mineral cassiterite, where it occurs as tin dioxide, SnO2.
This silvery, malleable post-transition metal is not easily oxidized in air and is used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. The first alloy, used in large scale since 3000 BC, was bronze, an alloy of tin and copper. After 600 BC pure metallic tin was produced. Pewter, which is an alloy of 85–90% tin with the remainder commonly consisting of copper, antimony and lead, was used for flatware from the Bronze Age until the 20th century. In modern times tin is used in many alloys, most notably tin/lead soft solders, typically containing 60% or more of tin. Another large application for tin is corrosion-resistant tin plating of steel. Because of its low toxicity, tin-plated metal is also used for food packaging, giving the name to tin cans, which are made mostly of steel.
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Contents
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Tin is a malleable, ductile and highly crystalline silvery-white metal. When a bar of tin is bent, a crackling sound known as the tin cry can be heard due to the twinning of the crystals.[2] Tin melts at a low temperature of about 232 °C, which is further reduced to 177.3 °C for 11-nm particles.[3]
β-tin (the metallic form, or white tin), which is stable at and above room temperature, is malleable. In contrast, α-tin (nonmetallic form, or gray tin), which is stable below 13.2 °C, is brittle. α-tin has a diamond cubic crystal structure, similar to diamond, silicon or germanium. α-tin has no metallic properties at all because its atoms form a covalent structure where electrons cannot move freely. It is a dull-gray powdery material with no common uses, other than a few specialized semiconductor applications.[2] These two allotropes, α-tin and β-tin, are more commonly known as gray tin and white tin, respectively. Two more allotropes, γ and σ, exist at temperatures above 161 °C and pressures above several GPa.[4] Although the α-β transformation temperature is nominally 13.2 °C, impurities (e.g. Al, Zn, etc.) lower the transition temperature well below 0 °C, and upon addition of Sb or Bi the transformation may not occur at all, increasing the durability of the tin.[5][6]
Commercial grades of tin (99.8%) resist transformation because of the inhibiting effect of the small amounts of bismuth, antimony, lead and silver present as impurities. Alloying elements such as copper, antimony, bismuth, cadmium and silver increase its hardness. Tin tends rather easily to form hard, brittle intermetallic phases, which are often undesirable. It does not form wide solid solution ranges in other metals in general, and there are few elements that have appreciable solid solubility in tin. Simple eutectic systems, however, occur with bismuth, gallium, lead, thallium and zinc.[5]
Tin becomes a superconductor below 3.72 K.[7] In fact, tin was one of the first superconductors to be studied; the Meissner effect, one of the characteristic features of superconductors, was first discovered in superconducting tin crystals.[8]
Tin resists corrosion from water but can be attacked by acids and alkalis. Tin can be highly polished and is used as a protective coat for other metals.[2] In this case the formation of a protective oxide layer is used to prevent further oxidation. This oxide layer forms on pewter and other tin alloys.[9] Tin acts as a catalyst when oxygen is in solution and helps accelerate chemical attack.[2]
Tin is the element with the greatest number of stable isotopes, ten; these include all those with atomic masses between 112 and 124, with the exception of 113, 121 and 123. Of these, the most abundant ones are 120Sn (at almost a third of all tin), 118Sn, and 116Sn, while the least abundant one is 115Sn. The isotopes possessing even mass numbers have no nuclear spin while the odd ones have a spin of +1/2. Tin, with its three common isotopes 115Sn, 117Sn and 119Sn, is among the easiest elements to detect and analyze by NMR spectroscopy, and its chemical shifts are referenced against SnMe4.[note 1][10]
This large number of stable isotopes is thought to be a direct result of tin possessing an atomic number of 50, which is a "magic number" in nuclear physics. There are 28 additional unstable isotopes that are known, encompassing all the remaining ones with atomic masses between 99 and 137. Aside from 126Sn, which has a half-life of 230,000 years, all the radioactive isotopes have a half-life of less than a year. The radioactive 100Sn is one of the few nuclides possessing a "doubly magic" nucleus and was discovered relatively recently, in 1994.[11] Another 30 metastable isomers have been characterized for isotopes between 111 and 131, the most stable of which being 121mSn, with a half-life of 43.9 years.
The English word 'tin' is Germanic; related words are found in the other Germanic languages—German zinn, Swedish tenn, Dutch tin, etc.—but not in other branches of Indo-European except by borrowing (e.g. Irish tinne). Its origin is unknown.[12]
The Latin name stannum originally meant an alloy of silver and lead, and came to mean 'tin' in the 4th century BCE[13]—the earlier Latin word for it was plumbum candidum 'white lead'. Stannum apparently came from an earlier stāgnum (meaning the same thing),[12] the origin of the Romance and Celtic terms for 'tin'.[12][14] The origin of stannum/stāgnum is unknown; it may be pre-Indo-European.[15] The Meyers Konversationslexikon speculates on the contrary that stannum is derived from Cornish stean, and is proof that Cornwall in the first centuries AD was the main source of tin.
Tin extraction and use can be dated to the beginnings of the Bronze Age around 3000 BC, when it was observed that copper objects formed of polymetallic ores with different metal contents had different physical properties.[16] The earliest bronze objects had tin or arsenic content of less than 2% and are therefore believed to be the result of unintentional alloying due to trace metal content in the copper ore.[17] The addition of a second metal to copper increases its hardness, lowers the melting temperature, and improves the casting process by producing a more fluid melt that cools to a denser, less spongy metal.[17] This was an important innovation that allowed for the much more complex shapes cast in closed moulds of the Bronze Age. Arsenical bronze objects appear first in the Near East where arsenic is commonly found in association with copper ore, but the health risks were quickly realized and the quest for sources of the much less hazardous tin ores began early in the Bronze Age.[18] This created the demand for rare tin metal and formed a trade network that linked the distant sources of tin to the markets of Bronze Age cultures.[citation needed]
Cassiterite (SnO2), the tin oxide form of tin, was most likely the original source of tin in ancient times. Other forms of tin ores are less abundant sulfides such as stannite that require a more involved smelting process. Cassiterite often accumulates in alluvial channels as placer deposits due to the fact that it is harder, heavier, and more chemically resistant than the granite in which it typically forms.[19] These deposits can be easily seen in river banks as cassiterite is usually black, purple or otherwise dark in colour, a feature exploited by early Bronze Age prospectors. It is likely that the earliest deposits were alluvial in nature, and perhaps exploited by the same methods used for panning gold in placer deposits.[citation needed]
In the great majority of its compounds, tin has the oxidation state II or IV.
Halide compounds are known for both oxidation states. For Sn(IV), all four halides are well known: SnF4, SnCl4, SnBr4, and SnI4. The three heavier members are volatile molecular compounds, whereas the tetrafluoride is polymeric. All four halides are known for Sn(II) also: SnF2, SnCl2, SnBr2, and SnI2. All are polymeric solids. Of these eight compounds, only the iodides are coloured.[20]
Tin(II) chloride (also known as stannous chloride) is the most important tin halide in a commercial sense. Illustrating the routes to such compounds, chlorine reacts with tin metal to give SnCl4 whereas the reaction of hydrochloric acid and tin gives SnCl2 and hydrogen gas. Alternatively SnCl4 and Sn combine to stannous chloride via a process called comproportionation:[21]
Tin can form many oxides, sulfides, and other chalcogenide derivatives. The dioxide SnO2 (cassiterite) forms when tin is heated in the presence of air.[20] SnO2 is amphoteric, which means that it dissolves in both acidic and basic solutions.[22] There are also stannates with the structure [Sn(OH)6]2−, like K2[Sn(OH)6], although the free stannic acid H2[Sn(OH)6] is unknown. The sulfides of tin exist in both the +2 and +4 oxidation states: tin(II) sulfide and tin(IV) sulfide (mosaic gold).
Stannane (SnH4), where tin is in the +4 oxidation state, is unstable. Organotin hydrides are however well known, e.g. tributyltin hydride (Sn(C4H9)3H).[2] These compound release transient tributyl tin radicals, rare examples of compounds of tin(III).[24]
Organotin compounds, sometimes called stannanes, are chemical compounds with tin-carbon bonds.[25] Of the compounds of tin, the organic derivatives are the most useful commercially.[26] Some organotin compounds are highly toxic and have been used as biocides. The first organotin compound to be reported was diethyltin diiodide ((C2H5)2SnI2), reported by Edward Frankland in 1849.[27]
Most organotin compounds are colorless liquids or solids that are stable to air and water. They adopt tetrahedral geometry. Tetraalkyl- and tetraaryltin compounds can be prepared using Grignard reagents:[26]
The mixed halide-alkyls, which are more common and more important commercially than the tetraorgano derivatives, are prepared by redistribution reactions:
Divalent organotin compounds are uncommon, although more common than related divalent organogermanium and organosilicon compounds. The greater stabilization enjoyed by Sn(II) is attributed to the "inert pair effect". Organotin(II) compounds include both stannylenes (formula: R2Sn, as seen for singlet carbenes) and distannylenes (R4Sn2), which are roughly equivalent to alkenes. Both classes exhibit unusual reactions.[28]
Tin is generated via the long S-process in low-medium mass stars (with masses of 0.6 to 10 times that of Sun). It arises via beta decay of heavy isotopes of indium.[29]
Tin is the 49th most abundant element in the Earth's crust, representing 2 ppm compared with 75 ppm for zinc, 50 ppm for copper, and 14 ppm for lead.[30]
Tin does not occur as the native element but must be extracted from various ores. Cassiterite (SnO2) is the only commercially important source of tin, although small quantities of tin are recovered from complex sulfides such as stannite, cylindrite, franckeite, canfieldite, and teallite. Minerals with tin are almost always associated with granite rock, usually at a level of 1% tin oxide content.[31]
Because of the higher specific gravity of tin dioxide, about 80% of mined tin is from secondary deposits found downstream from the primary lodes. Tin is often recovered from granules washed downstream in the past and deposited in valleys or under sea. The most economical ways of mining tin are through dredging, hydraulic methods or open cast mining. Most of the world's tin is produced from placer deposits, which may contain as little as 0.015% tin.[32]
It was estimated in January 2008 that there were 6.1 million tons of economically recoverable primary reserves, from a known base reserve of 11 million tons.[33] Below are listed the nations with the largest known reserves.
| Country | Reserves | Reserve base |
|---|---|---|
| 1,700,000 | 3,500,000 | |
| 1,000,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| 710,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 800,000 | 900,000 | |
| 540,000 | 2,500,000 | |
| 450,000 | 900,000 | |
| 300,000 | 350,000 | |
| 170,000 | 250,000 | |
| 150,000 | 300,000 | |
| Other | 180,000 | 200,000 |
| Total | 6,000,000 | 11,100,000 |
Estimates of tin production have historically varied with the dynamics of economic feasibility and the development of mining technologies, but it is estimated that, at current consumption rates and technologies, the Earth will run out of tin that can be mined in 40 years.[34] However Lester Brown has suggested tin could run out within 20 years based on an extremely conservative extrapolation of 2% growth per year.[35]
| Year | Million tons |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 4,265 |
| 1970 | 3,930 |
| 1975 | 9,060 |
| 1980 | 9,100 |
| 1985 | 3,060 |
| 1990 | 7,100 |
| 2008 | 6,100[36] |
Secondary, or scrap, tin is also an important source of the metal. The recovery of tin through secondary production, or recycling of scrap tin, is increasing rapidly. Whereas the United States has neither mined since 1993 nor smelted tin since 1989, it was the largest secondary producer, recycling nearly 14,000 tons in 2006.[33]
New deposits are reported to be in southern Mongolia,[37] and in 2009, new deposits of tin were discovered in Colombia, South America, by the Seminole Group Colombia CI, SAS.[38][39]
| This section requires expansion. |
Tin is produced by carbothermic reduction of the oxide ore with carbon or coke. Both reverberatory furnace and electric furnace can be used.[40][41][42]
The ten largest companies produced most of world's tin in 2007. It is not clear which of these companies include tin smelted from the mine at Bisie, Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is controlled by a renegade militia and produces 15,000 tons. Most of the world's tin is traded on the London Metal Exchange (LME), from 8 countries, under 17 brands.[43]
| Company | Polity | 2006 | 2007 | %Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yunnan Tin | China | 52,339 | 61,129 | 16.7 |
| PT Timah | Indonesia | 44,689 | 58,325 | 30.5 |
| Minsur | Peru | 40,977 | 35,940 | −12.3 |
| Malay | China | 52,339 | 61,129 | 16.7 |
| Malaysia Smelting Corp | Malaysia | 22,850 | 25,471 | 11.5 |
| Thaisarco | Thailand | 27,828 | 19,826 | −28.8 |
| Yunnan Chengfeng | China | 21,765 | 18,000 | −17.8 |
| Liuzhou China Tin | China | 13,499 | 13,193 | −2.3 |
| EM Vinto | Bolivia | 11,804 | 9,448 | −20.0 |
| Gold Bell Group | China | 4,696 | 8,000 | 70.9 |
Prices of tin were at US$11,900 per ton as of Nov 24, 2008. Prices reached an all-time high of nearly $25,000 per ton in May 2008, largely because of the effect of the decrease of tin production from Indonesia.
In 2006, about half of tin produced was used in solder. The rest was divided between tin plating, tin chemicals, brass and bronze, and niche uses.[46]
Tin has long been used as a solder in the form of an alloy with lead, tin accounting for 5 to 70% w/w. Tin forms a eutectic mixture with lead containing 63% tin and 37% lead. Such solders are primarily used for solders for joining pipes or electric circuits. Since the European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) came into effect on 1 July 2006, the use of lead in such alloys has decreased. Replacing lead has many problems, including a higher melting point, and the formation of tin whiskers causing electrical problems. Replacement alloys are rapidly being found, however.[47]
Tin bonds readily to iron and is used for coating lead or zinc and steel to prevent corrosion. Tin-plated steel containers are widely used for food preservation, and this forms a large part of the market for metallic tin. A tinplate canister for preserving food was first manufactured in London in 1812.[48] Speakers of British English call them "tins", while speakers of American English call them "cans" or "tin cans". One thus-derived use of the slang term "tinnie" or "tinny" means "can of beer". The tin whistle is so called because it was first mass-produced in tin-plated steel.[49][50]
Tin in combination with other elements forms a wide variety of useful alloys. Tin is most commonly alloyed with copper. Pewter is 85–99% tin;[51] Babbitt metal has a high percentage of tin as well.[52][53] Bronze is mostly copper (12% tin), while addition of phosphorus gives phosphor bronze. Bell metal is also a copper-tin alloy, containing 22% tin. Tin has also sometimes been used in coinage; for example, it once formed a single figure percentage of the American[54] and Canadian[55] pennies. Because copper is often the major metal in such coins, and zinc is sometimes present as well, these could technically be called bronze and/or brass alloys.
The niobium-tin compound Nb3Sn is commercially used as wires for superconducting magnets, due to the material's high critical temperature (18 K) and critical magnetic field (25 T). A superconducting magnet weighing only a couple of kilograms is capable of producing magnetic fields comparable to a conventional electromagnet weighing tons.[56]
A addition of a few percent tin is commonly used in zirconium alloys for the cladding of nuclear fuel.[57]
Most metal pipes in a pipe organ are made of varying amounts of a tin/lead alloy, with 50%/50% being the most common. The amount of tin in the pipe defines the pipe's tone, since tin is the most tonally resonant of all metals. When a tin/lead alloy cools, the lead cools slightly faster and produces a mottled or spotted effect. This metal alloy is referred to as spotted metal.[58][59]
Punched tin, also called pierced tin, is an artisan technique originating in central Europe for creating housewares that are both functional and decorative. Decorative piercing designs exist in a wide variety, based on geography or the artisan's personal creations. Punched tin lanterns are the most common application of this artisan technique. The light of a candle shining through the pierced design creates a decorative light pattern in the room where it sits. Punched tin lanterns and other punched tin articles were created in the New World from the earliest European settlement. A well-known example is the Revere type lantern, named after Paul Revere.[60]
Before the modern era, in some areas of the Alps, a goat or sheep's horn would be sharpened and a tin panel would be punched out using the alphabet and numbers from one to nine. This learning tool was known appropriately as "the horn". Modern reproductions are decorated with such motifs as hearts and tulips.
In America, pie safes and food safes came into use in the days before refrigeration. These were wooden cupboards of various styles and sizes - either floor standing or hanging cupboards meant to discourage vermin and insects and to keep dust from perishable foodstuffs. These cabinets had tinplate inserts in the doors and sometimes in the sides, punched out by the homeowner, cabinetmaker or a tinsmith in varying designs to allow for air circulation. Modern reproductions of these articles remain popular in North America.[61]
Window glass is most often made by floating molten glass on top of molten tin (creating float glass) in order to produce a flat surface. This is called the "Pilkington process".[62]
Tin is also used as a negative electrode in advanced Li-ion batteries. Its application is somewhat limited by the fact, that some tin surfaces catalyze decomposition of carbonate-based electrolytes used in Li-ion batteries.[63]
Tin(II) fluoride is added to some dental care products[64][65] as stannous fluoride (SnF2). Tin(II) fluoride can be mixed with calcium abrasives while the more common sodium fluoride gradually becomes biologically inactive combined with calcium compounds.[66] It has also been shown to be more effective than sodium fluoride in controlling gingivitis.[67]
Of all the chemical compounds of tin, the organotin compounds are most heavily used. Worldwide industrial production probably exceeds 50,000 tonnes.[68]
The major commercial application of organotin compounds is in the stabilization of PVC plastics. In the absence of such stabilizers, PVC would otherwise rapidly degrade under heat, light, and atmospheric oxygen, to give discolored, brittle products. Tin scavenges labile chloride ions (Cl-), which would otherwise initiate loss of HCl from the plastic material.[69] Typical tin compounds are carboxylic acid derivatives of dibutyltin dichloride, such as the dilaurate.[70]
Organotin compounds can have a relatively high toxicity, which is both advantageous and problematic. They have been used for their biocidal effects in/as fungicides, pesticides, algaecides, wood preservatives, and antifouling agents.[69] Tributyltin oxide is used as a wood preservative.[71] Tributyltin was used as additive for ship paint to prevent growth of marine organisms on ships, with use declining after organotin compounds were recognized as persistent organic pollutants with an extremely high toxicity for some marine organisms, for example the dog whelk.[72] The EU banned the use of organotin compounds in 2003,[73] while concerns over the toxicity of these compounds to marine life and their effects on the reproduction and growth of some marine species,[69] (some reports describe biological effects to marine life at a concentration of 1 nanogram per liter) have led to a worldwide ban by the International Maritime Organization.[74] Many nations now restrict the use of organotin compounds to vessels over 25 meters long.[69]
Some tin reagents are useful in organic chemistry. In the largest application, stannous chloride is a common reducing agent for the conversion of nitro and oxime groups to amines. The Stille reaction couples organotin compounds with organic halides or pseudohalides.[75]
| This section requires expansion. |
Cases of poisoning from tin metal, its oxides, and its salts are "almost unknown". On the other hand, certain organotin compounds are almost as toxic as cyanide.[26]
| Periodic table | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | He | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Li | Be | B | C | N | O | F | Ne | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Na | Mg | Al | Si | P | S | Cl | Ar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| K | Ca | Sc | Ti | V | Cr | Mn | Fe | Co | Ni | Cu | Zn | Ga | Ge | As | Se | Br | Kr | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rb | Sr | Y | Zr | Nb | Mo | Tc | Ru | Rh | Pd | Ag | Cd | In | Sn | Sb | Te | I | Xe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cs | Ba | La | Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | Hf | Ta | W | Re | Os | Ir | Pt | Au | Hg | Tl | Pb | Bi | Po | At | Rn | |||||||||||
| Fr | Ra | Ac | Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr | Rf | Db | Sg | Bh | Hs | Mt | Ds | Rg | Cn | Uut | Uuq | Uup | Uuh | Uus | Uuo | |||||||||||
|
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Dansk (Danish)
n. - tin, blik, dåse, bageform, penge
v. tr. - fortinne, præservere, henkoge, komme på dåse
adj. - tin-, dåse-
idioms:
abbr. - Taxpayer Identification Number; skatteydernummer
Nederlands (Dutch)
(van) tin, blik, bus, vorm, inblikken
Français (French)
n. - (Minér) étain, (GB) boîte (de conserve), boîte, pot, (Culin) moule, plat (à rôtir), (GB) tirelire (pour faire la quête)
v. tr. - mettre en boîte, mettre en conserve
adj. - de conserve, en boîte
idioms:
abbr. - (abrév = taxpayer identification number) numéro d'identification d'un contribuable
Deutsch (German)
n. - Büchse, Dose, Form, Zinn, (Slang) Geld
v. - in Dosen einmachen, verzinnen
adj. - Zinn-, aus Zinn, Blech-
idioms:
abbr. - (USA) Kennummer des Steuerzahlers (TIN)
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κασσίτερος (κν. καλάι), λευκοσίδηρος (κν. τενεκές), (Βρετ.) κονσέρβα, κονσερβοκούτι
v. - γανώνω, επικασσιτερώνω, κονσερβοποιώ
adj. - κασσιτέρινος, τσίγκινος
abbr. - (ΗΠΑ) αριθμός φορολογουμένου
idioms:
Italiano (Italian)
inscatolare, barattolo, stampo, di latta
idioms:
Português (Portuguese)
n. - dinheiro (m), estanho (m), lata (f), folha de flandres (f)
v. - enlatar, estanhar
adj. - de estanho, de zinco
abbr. - sn (Quím.)
idioms:
Русский (Russian)
олово, жестяная банка, консервировать, закупоривать в жестяную банку
idioms:
Español (Spanish)
n. - lata, bote, tarro, molde
v. tr. - estañar, enlatar, envasar
adj. - de estaño, de hojalata
idioms:
abbr. - (abr) número de identificación de pago de impuestos (en EEUU)
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tenn, bleck, plåt, konservburk, plåtburk, form
v. - förtenna, lägga in, konservera
adj. - tenn-, plåt-
abbr. - skattenummer
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
锡, 罐, 马口铁, 把...装罐, 在...上镀锡, 锡制的
idioms:
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 錫, 罐, 馬口鐵
v. tr. - 把...裝罐, 在...上鍍錫
adj. - 錫制的
idioms:
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 주석, 양철, 현금
v. tr. - 주석을 입히다, 통조림으로 하다
adj. - 주석의, 주석으로 만든
abbr. - (미국) 납세자 신원 번호
日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - すず製の, ブリキの, 錫の
n. - スズ, ブリキ, 缶詰, 缶
v. - 缶詰にする, スズめっきをする
idioms:
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) صفيح, قصدير (فعل) يعلب, يقصدر (صفه) قصديري (اختصار) مختصر : رقم تعريف دافع الضرائب
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - בדיל (יסוד מתכתי, NS, מס' אטומי 05), פח, פחית, קופסה, קופסת-שימורים, כסף עובר לסוחר (עגה, בריטניה), לוח ברזל או פלדה מצופה בדיל
v. tr. - שימר בפחיות, ציפה בבדיל
adj. - עשוי לוחות בדיל, מזויף, חסר-ערך
abbr. - מספר-זהות של משלם-המסים (ארה"ב)
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