Antimony is a chemical element. It has the chemical symbol Sb. The symbol Sb is from the Latin name of 'stibium' for the element. It has the atomic number 51. Its atomic mass is 121.8. It is a blue-gray element that is somewhat toxic.
Properties
Physical properties
Antimony has four allotropes. The common allotrope of antimony is a blue-white metalloid. It looks black when powdered. It is brittle, soft, and shiny. Yellow and black antimony are unstable nonmetals. Yellow antimony is only found at very cold temperatures. It is made by oxidation of stibine. It turns into black antimony when light is shined on it or when it is warmer. Black antimony is normally made by heating metallic antimony until it boils and then cooling the vapors very quickly. It can ignite spontaneously (without any ignition source like a spark or a flame). It also corrodes easily. There is another explosive form of antimony that is made by electrolysis of antimony trichloride. This antimony explodes when changing into the metallic form. There is no chemical reaction; the atoms in the antimony crystal are rearranging themselves. When antimony is talked about it normally means the blue-white metalloid form, since it is most common.
Antimony is found as two stable (not radioactive) isotopes naturally. Sb- 123 and Sb-121
Chemical properties
Antimony is a rather unreactive element. It does not dissolve in acids easily. It can dissolve in oxidizing acids like nitric or sulfuric acid. It does not corrode easily in air, although the black allotrope can corrode. Antimony burns in air to make antimony trioxide. In excess air, it burns to antimony tetroxide.
Chemical compounds
Antimony forms chemical compounds in three oxidation states: -3, +3, and +5. -3 compounds are called antimonides. They are made by reacting antimony with other metals. They react with acids to make the toxic and unstable gas stibine. +3 compounds are the most common. They are weak oxidizing agents. They are somewhat covalent, having low melting points. Antimony trichloride is a colorless and soft solid that has a strong odor. Antimony trioxide is a white solid that dissolves a little in water. The other antimony(III) halides all react with water except for antimony trifluoride. +5 compounds are strong oxidizing agents. Antimony pentafluoride is highly reactive, as well as antimony pentoxide.
-3 compounds
-3 compounds are reducing agents. The antimonides have properties between alloys and salts. Aluminium antimonide, black solid Antimonide, the Sb3- ion Stibine, unstable colorless gas made when antimonides react with acids Zinc antimonide, gray solid
+3 compounds
+3 compounds are weak oxidizing agents. They are covalent. Most of them are colorless or light yellow solids. They are the most common antimony compounds.
Antimony tribromide, colorless solid, reacts with water
Antimony trichloride, colorless or pale yellow soft solid, reacts with water
Antimony trifluoride, light gray solid, dissolves in water
Antimony triiodide, yellow solid, reacts with water
Antimony trioxide, white solid, most common antimony compound
Antimony trisulfide, gray solid, flammable
Mixed oxidation state
Antimony tetroxide has antimony in both its +3 and +5 oxidation state.
+5 compounds
+5 compounds are strong oxidizing agents. They are rare.
Antimony pentachloride, pale yellow liquid
Antimony pentafluoride, colorless oily liquid
Antimony pentoxide, yellow solid
History
Antimony sulfide was known for a long time. Some things plated with antimony and made out of antimony were found in Egypt and Chaldea. The first time antimony was mentioned in Europe was in the 1540. The first native antimony was found in Sweden in 1783. Antimony sulfide and antimony were confused sometimes in antiquity. There is a question over what "stibium", the original name of antimony, meant.
Occurrence
Antimony is not common. It is found about as often as thallium. It is quite easy to get, though and is in many minerals. Antimony is sometimes found as an element, but normally it is found as stibnite, an antimony sulfide mineral. Stibnite is the main ore of antimony. China is the biggest maker of antimony; it makes 84% of all antimony. Other countries that make antimony are South Africa, Bolivia, and Kyrgyzstan. Antimony is not used in the human body.