Ferrous Sulfide: Iron Filings Heated with Sulphur (Thorpe 1912)

Heat iron filings with sulphur and they combine into ferrous sulfide, a hard black solid. Its main use: acids decompose it into hydrogen sulfide gas. Result: a very hard, metallic-looking black crystalline solid, sp. gr. 4.69, not magnetic, stable in air, melting at a full red heat. Source: Thorpe, Dictionary of Applied Chemistry, vol. 3 (1912), Iron. Not given: proportions, temperature, vessel. Ours: work outdoors, as burning sulphur gives choking fumes. Picture drawn by Youblob.

متوسط

2 hours

التعليمات

Mix iron filings and sulphur

Mix iron filings with sulphur. Thorpe gives no proportions. Ours: mix them in a refractory clay crucible.

المواد لهذه الخطوة:

برادة حديد1 as required

مسحوق الكبريت1 as required

الأدوات المطلوبة:

بوتقة من طين حراري

Heat the mixture

Heat the mixture until the iron and sulphur combine. Ferrous sulfide melts at a full red heat. Ours: set the crucible in a charcoal furnace and handle it with tongs; work outdoors.

الأدوات المطلوبة:

بوتقة من طين حراري

فرن فحم

ملقط بوتقة

Cool and break up the black mass

Let it cool. Compact ferrous sulfide is very hard, black, metallic-looking and not magnetic, and keeps in air. Ours: break it into lumps and store it in a closed jar.

الأدوات المطلوبة:

ملقط بوتقة