Britannica Sources used in this answer

What is explosive antimony and why does it change when scratched?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Explosive antimony is an unstable, amorphous form of the chemical element antimony that is produced through electrolytic deposition under specific conditions.1

It is referred to as "explosive" because it is in a metastable state; when it is bent or scratched, it undergoes a rapid, mildly explosive transition into the more stable, metallic form of the element.1