Antimony Antimony Antimony is a chemical element with symbol Sb (from ) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (SbS). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient times and were powdered for use as medicine and cosmetics, often known by the Arabic name, kohl. Metallic antimony was also known, but it was erroneously identified as lead upon its discovery. The earliest known description of the metal in the West was written in 1540 by Vannoccio Biringuccio. For some time, China has been the largest producer of antimony and its
Binary compounds of silicon practical applications), formed by annealing an amorphous Si-P alloy. The arsenic–silicon phase diagram measured at 40 Bar has two phases: SiAs and SiAs. The antimony–silicon system comprises a single eutectic close to the melting point of Sb. The bismuth system is a monotectic. In group 16 silicon dioxide is a very common compound that widely occurs as sand or quartz. SiO is tetrahedral with each silicon atom surrounded by 4 oxygen atoms. Numerous crystalline forms exist with the tetrahedra linked to form a polymeric chain. Examples are tridymite and cristobalite. A less common oxide is silicon monoxide that can be