Elemental antimony is a metalloid meaning that not a true metal nor is it a non-metal. It resembles a metal, but it does not demonstrate the necessary chemical properties to be considered a metal. The other metalloids are boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, tellurium, and polonium. Antimony is a member of the Nitrogen group or group 15 of the periodic table. Older periodic tables will designate the Nitrogen group as Group V or Group VA. Antimony and arsenic are very similar to each other both in terms of physical properties and chemical properties. The two elements easily dissolve into one another. It is very difficult to separate a mixture of antimony and arsenic by extraction metallurgy.
No comments:
Post a Comment