What is Antimony used for?

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Antimony is used as a flame retardant (primarily its trioxide form), to harden lead in batteries and bullets, in semiconductors and infrared detectors, and as a catalyst for polyester and plastics. It also creates strong alloys for bearings, solders, and other industrial applications.
 
Common Uses

• Electronics:
  High-purity antimony serves as a semiconductor material in diodes, Hall effect devices, and infrared sensors. 

• Flame Retardants:
  Antimony trioxide is widely used in textiles, plastics, and other materials to make them fire-resistant. 
• Batteries:
  About a fifth of antimony is used as a hardening agent for lead, improving the performance and rigidity of lead-acid batteries. 
• Antimony Alloys:
  Antimony strengthens other metals. It's used to make Babbitt metals for bearings and in the production of bullets and tank armor. 
• Plastics and Textiles:
  Antimony acts as a catalyst in the production of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and polyester. 

Other Applications

• Solders:
  Used with lead and tin to create soldering alloys with improved strength. 

• Glass and Pottery:
  Antimony compounds are used as glazes, pigments, and to improve the performance of solar cells. 

• Printing:
  In historical applications, its expansion upon freezing made it useful for creating detailed metal type for printing presses. 

• Military:
  Used in night vision goggles, infrared missiles, and nuclear weapons production.