Antimony is widely used in alloying to increase hardness and mechanical strength. Antimony is used in the semiconductor industry for infrared detectors, Hall-effect devices, and diodes. The metal and its compounds also used in batteries, bullets, cable sheathing, flame-proofing compounds, glass, ceramics, paints, and pottery. Tartar emetic has been used in medicine. Antimony and many of its compounds are toxic.