Introduction to the study of inorganic chemistry / by William Allen Miller.

  • Miller, William Allen, 1817-1870.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introduction to the study of inorganic chemistry / by William Allen Miller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A niimony. 25S (58) Antimony: Symb. Sb; Atcm. IF/. 122; Sp. Gr. 671 ; Fnshtg Pt. about 620°. This metal is always extracted from the scsquisulphide, which is a bluish-white lustrous mineral, crystallised in four- sided prisms, striated across their length. This sulphide is brittle, and melts below a red heat, crystallising as it cools. 'I'he crude antimony of commerce is the suljrhide freed by fusion from its earthy impurities. The metal is easily ob- tained in small quantities by mixing 4 parts of this sulphide with 2 of pearlasli ami nitre, powdering and mixing them intimately, and throwing the powder in small portions at a time into a crucible kept at a bright red heat. 'I'he quan- tity of nitre used is not sufficient to oxidise both the sul- phur and the metal; and as the sulphur is the more com bustible element, it burns, while the metal melts, and collects beneatli the melted slag of potassic sulphate. Antimony is a brilliant bluish-white metal, crystallising iu plates, and is so brittle that it may be easily powdered in a mortar. It melts just abo\'e a red heat, and burns brilliantly in a current of air, gi\ ing off white fumes, composed chiefly of antimonious oxide. Powdered antimony takes fire when thrown cold into chlorine gas, and it combines energetically both with bromine and with iodine. Nitric acid and aqua regia oxidize it with violence; and if powdered, and boiled with sulphuric acid, it is converted into a sulphate. The metal, in fine powder, digested with a persulphide of one of the alkali metals, is dissolved. Antimony is too brittle to be used alone, but it is useful for hardening other metals when alloyed with them. Type metal is an alloy of lead with about one-fourth of antimony, and often about the same quantity of tin is added. 'I'he oxide, when ground up with linseed oil, furnishes a white pigment, inferior, however, to common white lead ; and tartar emetic, a salt of tartaric acid with |)otassium and antimony 2[K(SbO)C4H^Oo] H.O, is a very active medicine.