Antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) is the world's most important flame retardant synergist, used in over 60% of global Antimony consumption. It works by releasing Antimony halides that interfere with combustion chemistry, protecting everything from children's pajamas to aircraft interiors.
Stibnite (Sb₂S₃) contains 71.4% Antimony and forms distinctive metallic gray crystals with perfect cleavage. Ancient civilizations knew stibnite as "kohl" for eye makeup, not realizing they were using Antimony sulfide.
Antimony deposits form through hydrothermal processes at relatively low temperatures (150-300°C). The element concentrates in:
Antimony ranks as the 63rd most abundant element in Earth's crust at approximately 0.2 ppm, making it rarer than tin but more abundant than silver. Its concentration requires specific geological conditions, making economic deposits uncommon.
Antimony's story begins with ancient beauty rituals. Egyptian queens, including Cleopatra, used ground stibnite (antimony sulfide) as "kohl" - dramatic black eye makeup that also protected against eye infections and glare from desert sun.
"Her eyes were lined with kohl made from stibnite, giving her a gaze that could command empires." - Ancient description of Egyptian beauty
Medieval alchemists called antimony "the wolf of metals" because it seemed to "devour" other metals when heated together. The symbol ♁ represented antimony in alchemical texts, and practitioners believed it held transmutation powers.
Around 1450, a German Benedictine monk named Basil Valentine (possibly a pseudonym) wrote extensively about antimony in his manuscript "The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony." He described methods for extracting metallic antimony and its medical applications - though his treatments often proved toxic!
For centuries, antimony was confused with lead and tin. The name comes from Greek "anti-monos" meaning "not alone" because it was rarely found in pure form. Arabic alchemists called it "al-ithmid," later corrupted to "antimony."
Nicolas Lémery (1707) first clearly distinguished antimony as a distinct element in his chemical treatise. He demonstrated that antimony could be isolated as a brittle, silvery metal with unique properties different from lead or tin.
The Industrial Revolution revealed antimony's true potential:
1950s Discovery: Scientists discovered that antimony trioxide dramatically enhanced the flame-retardant properties of halogenated compounds. This breakthrough led to antimony's most important modern application - saving countless lives through fire prevention.
Today we understand antimony as a metalloid with unique properties:
Antimony and its compounds are toxic and require careful handling.
Essential information about Antimony (Sb)
Antimony is unique due to its atomic number of 51 and belongs to the Metalloid category. With an atomic mass of 121.760000, it exhibits distinctive properties that make it valuable for various applications.
Antimony has several important physical properties:
Melting Point: 903.78 K (631°C)
Boiling Point: 1860.00 K (1587°C)
State at Room Temperature: solid
Atomic Radius: 139 pm
Antimony has various important applications in modern technology and industry:
Antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) is the world's most important flame retardant synergist, used in over 60% of global Antimony consumption. It works by releasing Antimony halides that interfere with combustion chemistry, protecting everything from children's pajamas to aircraft interiors.
Antimony's story begins with ancient beauty rituals. Egyptian queens, including Cleopatra, used ground stibnite (antimony sulfide) as "kohl" - dramatic black eye makeup that also protected against eye infections and glare from desert sun.
"Her eyes were lined with kohl made from stibnite, giving her a gaze that could command empires." - Ancient description of Egyptian beauty
Medieval alchemists called antimony "the wolf of metals" because it seemed to "devour" other metals when heated together. The symbol ♁ represented antimony in alchemical texts, and practitioners believed it held transmutation powers.
Around 1450, a German Benedictine monk named Basil Valentine (possibly a pseudonym) wrote extensively about antimony in his manuscript "The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony." He described methods for extracting metallic antimony and its medical applications - though his treatments often proved toxic!
For centuries, antimony was confused with lead and tin. The name comes from Greek "anti-monos" meaning "not alone" because it was rarely found in pure form. Arabic alchemists called it "al-ithmid," later corrupted to "antimony."
Nicolas Lémery (1707) first clearly distinguished antimony as a distinct element in his chemical treatise. He demonstrated that antimony could be isolated as a brittle, silvery metal with unique properties different from lead or tin.
The Industrial Revolution revealed antimony's true potential:
1950s Discovery: Scientists discovered that antimony trioxide dramatically enhanced the flame-retardant properties of halogenated compounds. This breakthrough led to antimony's most important modern application - saving countless lives through fire prevention.
Today we understand antimony as a metalloid with unique properties:
Discovered by: <div class="discovery-story"> <h3><i class="fas fa-eye"></i> Ancient Beauty Secret to Modern Element</h3> <h4><i class="fas fa-history"></i> Ancient Egyptian Origins (3000 BCE)</h4> <p><strong>Antimony's story begins with ancient beauty rituals</strong>. Egyptian queens, including Cleopatra, used ground stibnite (antimony sulfide) as <em>"kohl"</em> - dramatic black eye makeup that also protected against eye infections and glare from desert sun.</p> <blockquote> <i class="fas fa-quote-left"></i> "Her eyes were lined with kohl made from stibnite, giving her a gaze that could command empires." - Ancient description of Egyptian beauty </blockquote> <h4><i class="fas fa-flask"></i> Medieval Alchemy</h4> <p><strong>Medieval alchemists called antimony "the wolf of metals"</strong> because it seemed to "devour" other metals when heated together. The symbol ♁ represented antimony in alchemical texts, and practitioners believed it held transmutation powers.</p> <h4><i class="fas fa-skull"></i> The Monk's Mysterious Discovery</h4> <p>Around 1450, a German Benedictine monk named <strong>Basil Valentine</strong> (possibly a pseudonym) wrote extensively about antimony in his manuscript <em>"The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony."</em> He described methods for extracting metallic antimony and its medical applications - though his treatments often proved toxic!</p> <h4><i class="fas fa-crown"></i> Noble Metal Confusion</h4> <p>For centuries, antimony was confused with lead and tin. The name comes from Greek <em>"anti-monos"</em> meaning "not alone" because it was rarely found in pure form. Arabic alchemists called it <em>"al-ithmid,"</em> later corrupted to "antimony."</p> <h4><i class="fas fa-microscope"></i> Scientific Recognition</h4> <p><strong>Nicolas Lémery (1707)</strong> first clearly distinguished antimony as a distinct element in his chemical treatise. He demonstrated that antimony could be isolated as a brittle, silvery metal with unique properties different from lead or tin.</p> <h4><i class="fas fa-industry"></i> Industrial Revolution Applications</h4> <p>The <strong>Industrial Revolution</strong> revealed antimony's true potential:</p> <ul> <li><strong>1780s:</strong> Type metal alloys for printing presses revolutionized publishing</li> <li><strong>1840s:</strong> Antimony in friction matches and percussion caps</li> <li><strong>1860s:</strong> Britannia metal (antimony-tin alloy) for decorative items</li> <li><strong>1890s:</strong> Lead-antimony battery grids developed for early automobiles</li> </ul> <h4><i class="fas fa-fire"></i> 20th Century Flame Retardant Revolution</h4> <p><strong>1950s Discovery:</strong> Scientists discovered that antimony trioxide dramatically enhanced the flame-retardant properties of halogenated compounds. This breakthrough led to antimony's most important modern application - saving countless lives through fire prevention.</p> <h4><i class="fas fa-atom"></i> Modern Understanding</h4> <p>Today we understand antimony as a <strong>metalloid</strong> with unique properties:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Electron Configuration:</strong> [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p³</li> <li><strong>Allotropy:</strong> Exists in multiple crystalline forms</li> <li><strong>Semiconductor Properties:</strong> Used in modern electronics and infrared detectors</li> </ul> <div class="discovery-timeline"> <i class="fas fa-clock"></i> <strong>Amazing Journey:</strong> From Cleopatra's eye makeup to modern fire safety - antimony's 5,000-year journey shows how ancient materials can find revolutionary new purposes through scientific understanding! </div> </div>
Year of Discovery: ancient
Stibnite (Sb₂S₃) contains 71.4% Antimony and forms distinctive metallic gray crystals with perfect cleavage. Ancient civilizations knew stibnite as "kohl" for eye makeup, not realizing they were using Antimony sulfide.
Antimony deposits form through hydrothermal processes at relatively low temperatures (150-300°C). The element concentrates in:
Antimony ranks as the 63rd most abundant element in Earth's crust at approximately 0.2 ppm, making it rarer than tin but more abundant than silver. Its concentration requires specific geological conditions, making economic deposits uncommon.
General Safety: Antimony should be handled with standard laboratory safety precautions including protective equipment and proper ventilation.
Antimony and its compounds are toxic and require careful handling.