Although antimony is a distinct element, it must be extracted from mineral compounds, as it rarely appears on its own in nature. The metallic element has desirable chemical properties, making it a key additive material across several alloy families. Overall, antimony enhances the performance of metals by contributing to their hardness, durability, and resistance to corrosion.
Key Properties of Antimony
Located in Group 15 of the Periodic Table, antimony has a melting point of 1,167.13 degrees Fahrenheit (630 degrees Celsius) and a boiling point of 2,889 degrees Fahrenheit (1,587 Celsius). The silvery-white metal is brittle and fractures easily when exposed to stress, but its brittleness makes it ideal as an alloy, as adding antimony to other metals improves their strength and stability at high temperatures.
When combined with other materials, antimony has flame-retardant properties, so it’s often found in children’s clothing and toys. Antimony also resists oxidation, preventing degradation due to oxygen exposure. Finally, antimony reduces friction, making it ideal for manufacturing applications.
Antimony in Lead Alloys
Antimony is often combined with lead to increase its hardness. Although antimony only rates a 3 on the Mohs hardness scale, it’s harder than lead, so combining the two elements results in a durable alloy. This durability makes lead alloys ideal for bullets, batteries, and cable sheathing. Antimony also has a high level of corrosion resistance, so it doesn’t break down when exposed to dilute acids. As a result, antimony alloys are extremely useful for manufacturing automobile batteries.
Antimony also helps lead alloys retain their shape and form under stress, so it’s used to make radiation shielding for the medical field. Since antimony doesn’t conduct electricity, it’s also an excellent insulator when combined with lead.
Antimony in Tin and Copper Alloys
Although antimony is often combined with lead, it’s also found in tin and copper alloys. It’s harder than tin and has the same hardness as copper, so it’s used to improve the durability of both metals. Antimony also increases the stability of tin and copper in high-temperature environments, making it ideal for industrial and electrical applications.
The chemical properties of antimony make it ideal for soldering applications, as it produces stronger, more reliable bonds. When combined with tin or copper, antimony also increases wear resistance. As a result, antimony-tin and antimony-copper alloys are often used to produce bearings, electronic connectors, and plumbing components.
The Value of Antimony in Modern Alloys
Due to its desirable chemical properties, antimony is extremely valuable for enhancing the performance of lead, tin, and copper alloys. Because it increases durability, material strength, and resistance to wear, it’s a critical resource for manufacturers.
Although it was discovered more than 400 years ago, antimony remains highly relevant as an additive material. Companies in every industry can benefit from using it to increase hardness, enhance corrosion resistance, and resist oxidation. With a little creativity, manufacturers can use antimony to develop innovative solutions to their most pressing challenges.
Belmont Metals offers high-quality antimony alloys to enhance your products’ performance. Contact our team today for expert guidance.