Metal Powder

Tin powder is a metallic, soft, pliable, silvery-white metal element and it belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Tin is not easily oxidized and resists corrosion due to it is protected by an oxide film. Tin resists corrosion from soft tap water and distilled sea. It can be attacked by strong acids, alkalis and acid salts.

Tin powder has many uses. It takes a high polish and is utilized to coat other metals to prevent corrosion, such as in tin cans, which are produced of tin-coated steel. Alloys of tin are important, for instance, soft solder, pewter, bronze, and phosphor bronze. A niobium-tin alloy is utilized for superconducting magnets. Most window glass is formed by floating molten glass on the molten tin to produce a flat surface.

Tin powder is a siderophile metallic element forming distinct minerals, involving cassiterite SnO2 and the rarer stannite Cu2FeSnS4, however, it can also be present as an accessory element in biotite, amphibole, muscovite, sphene, and rutile. Tin salts sprayed onto glass are applied to produce electrically conductive coatings. The most important tin salt applied is tin (II) chloride, which is utilized as a reducing agent.

Tin compounds have been employed as anti-fouling paint for ships and boats, to prevent barnacles. Tin compounds are used in making tubes of toothpaste, gas sensors, and ceramics. Tin dioxide can be utilized for polishing glass, marble, jewelry, and silver. It exhibits high optical transparency, electrical conductivity and chemical sensitivity which make it a very attractive material for solar cells, catalysis, heat mirrors, and gas-sensing applications.

Nanoparticles of tin oxide have also found a wide range of applications in ceramic devices, lithium batteries, transparent electrodes, and photocatalysts. It also has its applications in the electrodes of batteries such as in the Li-ion batteries. It is widely used in the manufacture of food containers made of steel. It is utilized for dental applications in some products in the form of stannous chloride.