Thermal phase transitions in antimony (III) oxides

Previous reports of the thermal behaviour of antimony trioxide show significant disagreement on the values for the temperatures associated with specific thermal events. In this reappraisal, samples of both polymorphs of Sb₂O₃ (senarmontite and valentinite) have been analysed using X-ray diffraction and simultaneous differential thermal/thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The senarmontite-valentinite phase transition has been observed to occur as a multi-stage event commencing at temperatures as low as 615±3 °C—evidence of oxidation to Sb₂O₄ under inert atmosphere may indicate that the depression is related to surface- or bulk-bound water. Valentinite produced by mechanical milling of senarmontite exhibits the reverse phase transition to senarmontite at a lower than normal temperature (445±3 °C). Oxidation temperatures of 531±4 °C for senarmontite and 410±3 °C for mechanically derived valentinite were also recorded.