Britannica Sources used in this answer

What substance forms when antimony burns in air?

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

When antimony is heated in air, it burns with a brilliant blue flame and produces white fumes of antimony trioxide (Sb2O3 or Sb4O6). This compound is also known as antimonious oxide and is widely utilized in industrial applications, particularly as a flame retardant in plastics, rubber, textiles, and paints.12