The role of metal antimony

1. Flame retardant: The main use of antimony is to use its oxide (antimony trioxide) to make refractory materials. The process by which antimony trioxide forms antimony halides can slow down combustion. With the exception of halogen-containing polymeric flame retardants, antimony trioxide is almost always used with halide flame retardants.

These flame retardants are commonly used in children's clothing, toys, aircraft and car seat covers, etc. They are also commonly used as additives to polyester resins in the fiberglass composite (commonly known as FRP) industry, such as engine covers for light aircraft.

2. Alloy: Antimony is a poor conductor of electricity and heat. It is not easy to oxidize at room temperature and has corrosion resistance. Therefore, the main role of antimony in alloys is to increase hardness, and it is often used as a hardener for metals or alloys.

Antimony-containing lead-based alloys are corrosion-resistant, and are the first choice for the production of battery electrode plates for vehicles and ships, chemical pumps, chemical pipelines, and cable sheaths; alloys of antimony with tin, aluminum, and copper Excellent material for bearings, bushings and gears.

3. Medicine: Antimony is also used in biology or medicine. For example, antimony-containing agents are used as emetics, antimony potassium tartrate (commonly known as spit tartar) was used as a drug for the treatment of schistosomiasis, and it was gradually replaced by praziquantel.

Antimony and its compounds are also used in a variety of veterinary medicines, such as anthemaline (lithium antimony sulphomalate) as a skin conditioner for ruminants.

4. Electronic materials: high-purity antimony and antimony metal compounds (indium antimony, silver antimony, gallium antimony, etc.) are also ideal materials for the production of semiconductors and thermoelectric devices. Antimony is often used as a dopant in ultra-high-conductivity n-type silicon wafers, which are used to make diodes, infrared detectors, and Hall-effect elements, and indium antimonide is used to make mid-infrared detectors instrument.

5. Gunpowder: Raw antimony has the characteristics of low ignition point. It is an ingredient for making detonators and safety matches, and can also be used to produce smoke-generating agents.