Explosive antimony is an

allotrope Allotropy or allotropism () is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two or more different forms, in the same physical State of matter, state, known as allotropes of the elements. Allotropes are different structural modifications o ...

of the

chemical element A chemical element is a species of atoms that have a given number of protons in their atomic nucleus, nuclei, including the pure Chemical substance, substance consisting only of that species. Unlike chemical compounds, chemical elements canno ...

antimony Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (from la, stibium) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient ti ...

that is so sensitive to shock that it explodes when scratched or subjected to sudden heating. The allotrope was first described in 1855. Chemists form the allotrope through

electrolysis In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a technique that uses direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Electrolysis is commercially important as a stage in the separation of elements from n ...

of a concentrated solution of antimony trichloride in

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid. It is a component of the gastric acid in the dige ...

, which forms an amorphous glass. This glass contains significant amounts of

halogen The halogens () are a group in the periodic table consisting of five or six chemically related elements: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), astatine (At), and tennessine (Ts). In the modern IUPAC nomenclature, this grou ...

impurity at its boundaries. When it explodes the allotrope releases of energy per gram. White fumes of antimony trichloride are produced and the elemental antimony reverts to its metallic form.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite news , url = http://www.periodictable.ch/051Sb/exSb.pdf , title = Studies on Explosive Antimony. II. Its Structure, Electrical Conductivity, and Rate of Crystallization , publisher = Proceedings of the Royal Society of London , author = C.C. Coffin , date = 1935-10-15 , pages = 47–63 , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , url-status = live {{cite journal , title = On the explosive semiconductor-semimetal transition of antimony , publisher =

Physica Status Solidi ''Physica Status Solidi'', often stylized ''physica status solidi'' or ''pss'', is a family of international peer-reviewed, scientific journals, publishing research on all aspects of solid state physics, and materials science. It is owned and pu ...

, author = F. M. Aymerich, A. Delunas , journal = Physica Status Solidi (A) , date = 1975-09-16 , volume = 31 , pages = 165–170 , location = , isbn = , quote = The energy released by this transition, is measured to be 24 cal per gram of amorphous Sb and is shown to be related to a variation of the mass density and of the conductivity behaviour of Sb going from one configuration to the other. A simple theoretical model is outlined which quite satisfactory gives the gross features of the free-energy diagram of the above transition, although more deep investigation is needed to account for the energy balance of it. , doi = 10.1002/pssa.2210310118 {{cite news , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_iQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31 , title = Suspended changes in Nature , publisher =

Popular Science ''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...

, author = James H. Walton Jr. , date = July 1913 , page = 31 , location = , isbn = , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = We are indebted to the investigations of Professor Cohen for a more striking example of a metastable metal, that of the " explosive " antimony. By passing an electric current through a solution of antimony chloride this metal may be deposited in the form of a thick metallic coating. {{cite news , jstor = 2935608 , title = Studies on Explosive Antimony. I. The Microscopy of Polished Surfaces , publisher = Proceedings of the Royal Society of London , author = C.C. Coffin, Stuart Johnston , date = 1934-10-01 , page = , location = , isbn = , quote = {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vKBqqiCTB7MC&dq=%22Explosive+antimony%22&pg=PA224 , title = Chemical Risk Analysis: A Practical Handbook , publisher =

Butterworth-Heinemann Butterworth–Heinemann is a British publishing company specialised in professional information and learning materials for higher education and professional training, in printed and electronic forms. It was formed in 1990 by the merger of Hein ...

, author = Bernard Martel , date = 2004 , page = , isbn = 9780080529042 , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=g8P-NwAACAAJ&q=%22Explosive+antimony%22 , title = Studies on Explosive Antimony and Antimony Tetrachloride Solutions , publisher =

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus in Saint John, New Brunswick. Dalhousie offer ...

, author = Allan C. Topp , date = 1939 , page = , isbn = , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vVhpurkfeN4C&dq=%22Explosive+antimony%22&pg=PA50 , title = Chemistry of Arsenic, Antimony and Bismuth , publisher =

Springer Science & Business Media Springer Science+Business Media, commonly known as Springer, is a German multinational publishing company of books, e-books and peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities, technical and medical (STM) publishing. Originally founded in 1842 ...

, author = N.C. Norman , date = 1997 , page = 50 , isbn = 9780751403893 , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = Another possible allotrope, known as explosive antimony, has been reported which is produced by electrolysis of antimony chloride, iodide or bromide and is believed to be in a strained amorphous state. {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Mtth5g59dEIC&dq=%22Explosive+antimony%22&pg=PA758 , title = Inorganic Chemistry , publisher =

Academic Press Academic Press (AP) is an academic book publisher founded in 1941. It was acquired by Harcourt, Brace & World in 1969. Reed Elsevier bought Harcourt in 2000, and Academic Press is now an imprint of Elsevier. Academic Press publishes refer ...

, author = Egon Wiberg, Nils Wiberg , date = 2001 , page = 758 , isbn = 9780123526519 , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=R0rmCAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Explosive+antimony%22&pg=PA406 , title = Semiconductors: Data Handbook , publisher =

, author = Otfried Madelung , date = 2012 , page = 408 , isbn = 9783642188657 , accessdate = 2016-11-21 , quote = Explosive Antimony is only metastable and transforms into metallic antimony during mechanical stress and heating. Explosive Antimony is probably not an allotropic form, but a mixed polymer. Antimony

Antimony Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (from la, stibium) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient ti ...

Explosive chemicals