What is Antimony Oxide Used For?
Antimony oxide is a white powdery substance that exists in nature. It can make polyester fabrics and electronic devices flame resistant, among other things. Antimony oxide has had many applications for centuries, but it wasn’t until recently that we learned about the dangers of ingesting it. This led many countries to limit how much can be used in consumer products, so less antimony oxide is being used today than just a few decades ago!
Flame Retardant
The main use for antimony oxide is as a flame retardant. Antimony oxide dissolves into molten metal during casting and bonding operations, which helps prevent the formation of voids within the metal structure. This improves the strength and durability of many products made from molten metal, including steel pipes used for plumbing and aircraft parts such as landing gear struts and wings.
Plastics
In addition to its use as a flame retardant, antimony oxide can also be added to casting molds when making plastic products such as toys or mobile phone covers (see link above). This helps prevent plastic from melting too quickly when heated by an electric current or by friction against other materials (such as during normal wear-and-tear).
Batteries
It has been used in batteries for many years because it has a high energy density (ability to store energy) compared to other materials like lithium-ion batteries, which are used today by most companies producing electric cars, among other things.
Hardening Glass
Antimony has been used for centuries for many purposes, including hardening lead, pewter, and glass. It helps to make flame-resistant textiles and polyester. Antimony oxide is added to some types of glass and ceramics because it makes them more durable at high temperatures. For example, some famous stained-glass windows of the Middle Ages contain small amounts of antimony oxide.
Indium Gallium Nitride
The main use of antimony oxide today is in semiconductors, which works as an ingredient in making indium gallium nitride (InGaN) blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These LEDs are used in computer monitors, TVs, and mobile phones because they emit high-quality blue light, making images look sharper than those produced by white LEDs, which produce yellow light from three different phosphors combined.
Antimony Sulfide
Antimony oxide finds use in making other chemicals, such as antimony sulfide, which is a good conductor of electricity and has some semiconductor properties. It’s also used in making rubber products like tires and footwear soles, where it increases durability without affecting flexibility.
Warning
Over time, research into antimony oxide has shown that it can be dangerous if ingested, so many countries have set limits on how much can be used in consumer products. This means that less antimony is being used now as companies try to find alternatives. Today you will more likely find it in electronic devices and polyester fabrics with specific flame-resistant properties like those used for firefighters’ uniforms.
Conclusion
Antimony oxide is used in various products, from clothing to electronics. It is also used as an additive in many polyester fabrics, making them more fire-resistant. One example would be a firefighter’s uniform, which helps protect him from flames. We hope this article has answered some questions about what this substance does and how it works!
