37 Tin Uses : Facts You Should Know!

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Tin (Sn) is a white-silvery metal with an atomic number of 50 that belongs to Group 14 of the periodic table. It melts at around 232 ⁰C. Let us explore the applications for tin.

The uses of tin in various fields are listed as follows:

  • Tin plating or Tinning
  • Solder
  • Alloys
  • Optoelectronics
  • Finances and Wealth
  • Specialized Organotin Compounds (OTCs)
  • Organic Chemistry and Reagents
  • Biocides
  • Batteries, Sensors and Glass-making
  • Other applications

Tin plating or Tinning

  • Tin can be polished to a high shine and is used to coat other metals to avoid corrosion, such as tin cans, which are built of tin-coated steel.
  • Tin is relatively corrosion resistant preventing metal from further oxidation. This property allows it to be used in the manufacturing of cookware, pans and pots.
  • Tin has been utilized in making door lintels, ceilings (tin roofs), and windows.
  • Tin exhibits strong bonding with iron; thus, tin-plating protects iron from corrosion; for instance tin pipework, cans and valves keep beverages and water pure.
  • Tin-plated steel containers are frequently used for food storage and preservation.

Solder

  • Tin, because of its lower melting points and strong magnetic strengths, is used in steel soldering.
  • Tin generates solder when alloyed with lead, which is predominantly used for joining electric circuits and pipes. Tin and lead combine to generate a eutectic combination (61.9% tin and 38.1% lead).

Alloys

  • Tin, when combined with other elements, produces a broad range of beneficial alloys.
  • Tin mixes with elements, such as bronze and copper, to make various alloys. Pewter (Sn 90-95%), Cu (0.5-3%), Sb (1-8%) are a few of its examples.
  • Tin is used in the production of plates, trays, and awards.
  • Bell bronze, a copper-tin alloy (22% tin), was historically chosen for cannons and artillery making.
  • Tin is used in industries for piston rings, bearings, valve bodies, casings, and bushings.
  • The niobium-tin intermetallic compound, Nb3Sn, is commercially used in making superconducting magnet coils due to its high critical temperature and magnetic field.
  • Organ pipes are made from an alloy that contains 90 to 95% tin and lead. Tin has good tonal resonance.
  • Tin has several advantages for pipes, including its workability, look, and corrosion-resistant properties.

Optoelectronics

  • Tin and indium oxides are electrically transparent and conductive that are used to develop electrically conducting films in optronic devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCD).
  • Tin is employed as a target in the generation of laser-induced plasmas, which serve as a source of light in extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV).

Finances and Wealth

Tin is occasionally used to make Canadian and American pennies. As copper is frequently the predominant metal in such coins, which may also contain zinc, they may be referred to as brass or bronze alloys.

Specialized Organotin Compounds (OTCs)

  • Organotin chemicals (or stannanes) are the most widely used. Organotin compounds are combined with organic halides or pseudohalides in the Stille reaction.
  • OTCs are commonly used as stabilizers in wood and plastic preservatives (PVC). Without such stabilizers, PVC would decay rapidly in the presence of light and heat; resulting in damaged and discolored items.
  • Industrially, OTCs are employed as catalysts in the manufacturing of silicones and polyurethane foams.
  • Organotin compounds are used in the manufacture of industrial catalysts, surface (or veterinary) disinfectants, curing and surface modifying agents.
  • Organotin compounds are utlized in rodent repellents, laundry sanitizers, aerodynamic additives for rocket engine fuels.
  • Organic tin compounds are used in scintillation detectors for X-rays and gamma rays, and in liquid membrane ion-selective electrodes.

Organic Chemistry and Reagents

  • Some of the tin reagents show wide scope of applications in the organic chemistry world.
  • Tin (II) chloride (SnCl2) is a common reducing agent used in the conversion of oxime and nitro groups to amines.
  • Tin is used as a catalyst, which helps in activating a reaction in an oxygen-containing solution and aiding in the speed of the resulting chemical reaction

Biocides

  • Organic tin compounds exhibit biocidal characteristics and are utilized for biocides such as fungicides, algaecides, pesticides, and antifouling or biofouling agents.
  • Tin is used in the shipping industry as an anti-fouling chemical to protect boats and ships from crustaceans and marine organisms.
  • Tributyltin was used as an ingredient in ship paints to inhibit the growth of fouling organisms on ships.

Batteries, Sensors and Glass-making

  • Tin finds its use as a negative electrode in advanced and modern Li-ion batteries.
  • Tin and lithium metal form multiple intermetallic phases, making it a potentially appealing material for battery applications.
  • Tin is used in the Pilkington process, wherein molten glass is floated on molten tin to manufacture glasses in order to provide a smooth and flat surface.
  • Tin is utilized in ceramics, ornamental windows and sensors as a reducing and dyeing agent.

Other Applications

  • Tin sheets are used in a wide range of industries, including aircraft, home design and construction, jewelry production, electronics, and telecommunications.
  • Stannous sulfate (SnSO4) is used as a Chrome (or Chromium) Reducer in cement, which is recognized to have the greatest effect on the strength and setting time of the cement.
  • Tin oxide is widely used as a weighing agent in textiles and fabrics.
  • Tin oxide in +4 oxidation state is used as a mild abrasive to render ceramic bodies opaque.
Capture 6
Uses of Tin

Conclusion

Tin is a soft, ductile, malleable, and highly crystalline metal, which is available in various hues and is cost-effective. The tin metal must be stored at a specified temperature to achieve the best results. Tin, due to its notable properties, has a wide range of applications, making it extremely valuable.