SULFIDES

Introduction
Inorganic sulfides are compounds of various metals with sulfur. Sulfides are generally not thought of as high temperature materials, but at least 30 metallic sulfides display refractory properties which indicate potential uses at elevated temperatures. Some of the refractory sulfides are more stable than oxides in vacuum, giving rise to interesting potential applications.

Preparation
Sulfides generally are prepared by any of six preparative schemes:

1. Direct reaction of the elements. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Be + S BeS Reaction of metal oxides or carbonates with a sulfur compound. CaO + H2S CaS + H2O Li2CO3 + H2S Li2S + CO2 + H2O Reduction of a higher sulfide. 2Ce2S3 + 2CeH3 6CeS + 3H2 Reaction of a metal hydride with a sulfur compound. 2UH3 + 4H2S 2US2 + 7H2 Reduction of metallic sulfates. BaSO4 + 4C BaS + 4CO Reaction of a metallic halide with a sulfur compound. 2LaCl3 + 3H2S La2S3 + 6HCl

CERAC employs all of these routes, plus proprietary developments, to prepare the one of the largest families of pure or mixed sulfides available.
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General Properties
Many sulfides have melting points above those of oxides. Sulfides can either be "salt-like" (e.g., the alkaline earth sulfides) or "hard-metal like" (e.g., the refractory sulfides). Sulfides are generally hydrolyzed by water. Sulfides generally oxidize readily in moist air at ambient temperature or in dry air at elevated temperature. Some sulfides possess semi-metallic character and have potentially valuable electronic properties.

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General Suggested Uses

Tantalum and niobium sulfides have low friction coefficients and can be used as lubricants for optical and sensitive instruments. Rare earth sulfides are semi-conductors and have been used in thermoelectric devices. Alkaline earth sulfides plus those of calcium and zinc are used for phosphor compositions.

Molybdenum and tungsten sulfides are widely used, non-graphitic commercial lubricants.

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Parts Fabrication
Numerous sulfides can be fabricated by various techniques (e.g., hot-pressing, isostatic pressing) without added binders to form dense bodies. Please contact the CERAC sales department for more information.
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Availability and Ordering Information

CERAC prepares a comprehensive selection of sulfides. Small lots are promptly available from stock for experimental or test purposes. Production quantities of many sulfides are also available from stock. Large amounts of other sulfides are produced to customer's specification for rapid shipment. Mixed sulfides (e.g., Li2S-FeS2), non-stoichiometric compositions or special purities and particle sizes can be custom manufactured. Please contact our sales department with your exact specifications.
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Sulfide Applications
Table 1: Sulfide Applications Application Batteries Typical Sulfides Lithium Cobalt Iron Nickel Strontium Zinc Cadmium Molybdenum Niobium Copper Tantalum Cadmium Cerium Copper Cobalt Cadmium Strontium Antimony Cadmium Forms Used Powders

Phosphor Ingredients

Powders Aerosol Cans Sputtering Targets Powders Powders Powders Powders Sputtering Targets Powders Evaporation Materials Sputtering Targets

Lubricants and Lubricant Addditives

Pigments Ceramic Coatings Photovoltaic Materials Industrial Infrared Filters

The wide variety of sulfides available from CERAC has resulted from the numerous and largely unrelated applications for these products. In many individual applications and with many individual customers, CERAC has developed products specifically for existing or new applications. In fact, CERAC's product line has grown largely in response to customer requirements. CERAC highly values these customer relationships and encourages any and all questions, comments and suggestions related to the performance of CERAC sulfides in specific applications. Table 1 provides a glimpse of some of the recognized sulfide applications and the type of CERAC products suitable for use in each case. For example, phosphor, battery and pigment applications usually require fine powders while numerous thin film applications require the use of sputtering targets or evaporation materials. The scope of sulfide applications is continually changing and evolving. While zinc and cadmium sulfides have a lengthy history of use in cathode ray tubes, strontium sulfide has only recently become of importance in conversion of infrared radiation to visible light. Also, various sulfides have come under recent scrutiny as new battery materials, largely due to the relatively stable forms of metal sulfides in multiple oxidation states and to environmental acceptabilities. These battery developments extend from specialized military and industrial uses to evaluations directed toward the propulsion of electric vehicles. In summary, present and future sulfide applications are derived mainly from the diverse properties exhibited by this family of products. For example, many sulfides exhibit "semimetallic" behavior, giving rise to electronic applications. Some are highly refractory, with melting points exceeding those of oxides, and are stable during thin film formation by vacuum deposition. Others have crystal structures and very high lubricities.
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Table 2: Typical Properties of Sulfides

Sulfide Of

Formula

Color

Theo. Melting Density, Point, C g/cm3

Crystal Form

Aluminum

Al2S3

yellow-off white

2.55

1100

hexagonal

Antimony

Sb2S3

black

4.63

550

orthorhombic

Arsenic Barium Beryllium Bismuth

As2S3 BaS BeS Bi2S3

yellow or red grey-white grey-white brown-black

3.52 4.33 2.47 6.81

325 2200* 2200* 685

monoclinic cubic cubic orthorhombic

Boron

B2S3

white

1.55

310

monoclinic

Cadmium Calcium Cerium Cerium

CdS CaS CeS Ce2S3

yellow-red white-pink gold red

4.82 2.61 5.93 5.2

1750 72000 2450 1890

hexagonal cubic cubic orthorhombic

Cerium

Ce2O2S

yellow

6.11

1950

hexagonal

Chromium Cobalt Cobalt Copper Copper

Cr2S3 CoS CoS2 Cu2S CuS

brown-black black black black black

3.92 5.83 4.8 5.97 4.68

1550 1210 1100 200 decomp. 1480

hexagonal hexagonal cubic orthorhombic hexagonal

Dysprosium

Dy2S3

red-brown

6.55

orthorhombic

Erbium Europium Gadolinium

Er2S3 EuS Gd2S3

yellow black red-brown

6.21 5.74 6.19

1730 1885

monoclinic cubic orthorhombic

Gallium Germanium Germanium Hafnium

Ga2S3 GeS GeS2 HfS2

white black white red-brown

3.5 4.24 3.03 6.03

1250 530 800 -

cubic orthorhombic orthorhombic hexagonal

Holmium

Ho2S3

yellow

6.07

monoclinic

Indium

In2S

yellow-black

5.87

655

no system

Indium Indium Iron Iron

InS In2S3 FeS FeS2

red-brown orange black-brown black

5.18 4.65 4.84 4.87

695 1050 1190 425 decomp 2150

orthorhombic cubic hexagonal cubic

Lanthanum

La2S3

yellow

4.91

no system

Lanthanum

LaS2

yellow-brown

4.9

1650

cubic

Lanthanum Lead Lithium

La2O2S PbS Li2S

white black white

5.75 7.5 1.63

1980 1115 975

hexagonal cubic cubic

Lutetium Magnesium Manganese Mercury Molybdenum

Lu2S3 MgS MnS HgS MoS2

light grey white green black black

6.26 2.86 3.99 8.1 4.8

2000 1615 1450 1815

rhombohedral cubic cubic hexagonal hexagonal

Neodymium Nickel Niobium Potassium

Nd2S3 NiS NbS1.75

green black blue-black yellow

5.49 5.41 4.58 1.84

795 -

orthorhombic hexagonal hexagonal cubic

K2S

840

Praseodymium

Pr2S3

brown

5.31

1795

orthorhombic

Rhenium

Re2S7-H2O black

4.87

tetragonal

Samarium

Sm2S3

red-brown

5.84

1900

orthorhombic

Scandium

Sc2S3

yellow

2.93

1775

cubic

Silicon Silver Sodium Strontium Terbium

SiS2 Ag2S Na2S SrS Tb2S3

white black white pink red

2.06 7.27 1.89 3.67 6.35

sublimes 825 1180 2000* -

orthorhombic monoclinic cubic cubic orthorhombic

Tantalum Thallium Thorium

TaS2 Tl2S ThS2

black blue-black brown-black

6.91 8.39 7.36

1300* 260 2000*

hexagonal hexagonal orthorhombic

Thulium

Tm2S3

yellow-green

6.34

882 decomp. 882 2000* 1130 1850 1930

monoclinic

Tin Tin Titanium Tungsten Uranium Vanadium

SnS SnS2 TiS2 WS2 US2 V2S3

grey-black yellow gold metallic-blue-grey grey-black black

5.08 4.5 3.28 7.73 4.7 4.7

orthorhombic orthorhombic hexagonal hexagonal tetragonal no system

Ytterbium

Yb2S3

yellow

6.07

hexagonal

Yttrium

Y2S3

yellow

3.86

1600

monoclinic

Yttrium Zinc Zirconium

Y2O2S ZnS ZrS2

grey-white white or yellow brown

4.92 4.1 3.82

2120 1850 1550

hexagonal cubic hexagonal

# The data listed are selected from reliable literature and are only indicative. No guarantees of accuracy are implied * Melting points are much higher than listed, but no accurate measurements have been made. - Indicates data not available