Antimony reducing power

The most active catalyst is platinum applied in finely divided form, for example platinised asbestos. Certain elements, especially arsenic and mercury, have a powerful effect in reducing the activity of the platinum, a quantity of arsenic equal to 0-2 per cent, of the weight of the platinum reducing the activity by 50 per cent.5 These poisons, as they are termed, also include less harmful substances such as antimony, lead, bismuth, etc. The presence of small quantities of rhodium, iridium or osmium in the platinum also causes diminished yields of trioxide, but the presence of palladium or ruthenium has the opposite effect.6... 

In the same way we can extract tinctures from iron, copper, antimony, and sulfur, and with the assistance of the flame of spirit of wine, maturate them into most lovely, fragrant, incombustible tinctures. For by means of our microcosmical salt, all metals and minerals may be reduced to potability, without the help of corrosive, in which state they are the most powerful medicaments imaginable. 

SAFETY PROFILE Confirmed human carcinogen. A powerful oxidizing agent. Flammable by chemical reaction with reducing agents. Moderate explosion hazard when shocked or exposed to heat. Violent or explosive reaction with sulfides (e.g., copper(II) sulfide (explodes) antimony(II) sulfide arsenic(III) sulfide tin(II) sulfide tin(IV) sulfide). When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cd and Cr. See also CHLORATES. 

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