Isolation of Heavy Pnicotgen Metal from High Temperature Reaction of Urea with Metal (III) Oxides

A method for the small-scale extraction of antimony and bismuth metals from their sesquioxides with urea is described. Mixing equal masses of urea and M2O3 (M = Sb and Bi) in a porcelain crucible followed by heating over a Meker flame for approximately 25 minutes gives relatively pure Sb and Bi metal in yields up to 98%. Products of the reaction in addition to the metal include H2O, CO2, and N2 with NH3 being produced as a by-product from thermal decomposition of excess urea.