| Chemical Properties | white to grey crystalline powder |
| Chemical Properties | Antimony trifluoride is a noncombustible,
odorless, white to gray crystalline solid. |
| Uses | To catalyze fluorinations by HF, manufacture of chlorofluorides, in dyeing, usually in form of double salts, e.g., antimony sodium fluoride or antimony fluoride and ammonium sulfate double salt, manufacture of pottery and porcelains. |
| Uses | Antimony(III) fluoride is used as a reagent in inorganic and organofluorine chemistry. It acts as a fluorination reagent and electroplating agent. Further, it is used in the preparation of dye, pottery, porcelains, ceramic enamels and glazes. It is utilized in the preparation of Freon. |
| General Description | Antimony trifluoride solution is the white to gray crystalline solid dissolved in water. Antimony trifluoride is corrosive to metals and tissue. Antimony trifluoride is used in ceramics and to make other chemicals. |
| Air & Water Reactions | Water slowly hydrolyzes antimony fluoride to form antimony (III) oxide. The dry powdered oxide ignites on heating in air [Mellor Vol. 9 425.1939]. |
| Reactivity Profile | ANTIMONY TRIFLUORIDE is a colorless, solid compound, toxic and corrosive. When heated to decomposition, Antimony trifluoride emits very toxic fumes of fluoride and metallic antimony [Lewis, 3rd ed., 1993, p. 83]. |
| Hazard | Strong irritant to eyes and skin.
|
| Health Hazard | TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or contact (skin, eyes) with vapors, dusts or substance may cause severe injury, burns or death. Reaction with water or moist air will release toxic, corrosive or flammable gases. Reaction with water may generate much heat that will increase the concentration of fumes in the air. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution. |
| Fire Hazard | Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Vapors may accumulate in confined areas (basement, tanks, hopper/tank cars etc.). Substance will react with water (some violently), releasing corrosive and/or toxic gases and runoff. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated or if contaminated with water. |
| Safety Profile | Poison by
subcutaneous route. Corrosive to skin and
eyes. See also FLUORIDES and
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS. When
heated to decomposition it emits very toxic
fumes of Fand Sb |
| Potential Exposure | It is used in dyeing; to make porcelain
and pottery; and as a fluorinating agent. |
| Shipping | UN1549 Antimony compounds, inorganic, solid,
n.o.s., Hazard Class: 6.1; Labels: 6.1-Poisonous materials,
Technical Name Required. |
| Purification Methods | It crystallises from MeOH to remove oxide and oxyfluoride, then it is sublimed under vacuum in an aluminium cup on to a water-cooled copper condenser. Its solubility is 443g/100g in H2O at 20o and 562g/100g in H2O at 30o with partial hydrolysis. [Woolf J Chem Soc 279 1955, Kwasnik in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chem (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 199 1963]. |
| Incompatibilities | Hot perchloric acid. |
| Waste Disposal | Consult with environmental
regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal
practices. Generators of waste containing this contaminant
(≥100 kg/mo) must conform with EPA regulations governing
storage, transportation, treatment, and waste disposal. |
