SULPHUR AND ITS COMPOUNDS
Occurrence. The element sulphur has been known from the earliest times, since it is widely distributed in nature and occurs in large quantities in the uncombined form, especially in the neighborhood of volcanoes. Sicily has long been famous for its sulphur mines, and smaller deposits are found in Italy, Iceland, Mexico, and especially in Louisiana, where it is mined extensively. In combination, sulphur occurs abundantly in the form of sulphides and sulphates. In smaller amounts it is found in a great variety of minerals, and it is a constituent of many animal and vegetable substances.
Extraction of sulphur. Sulphur is prepared from the native substance, the separation of crude sulphur from the rock and earthy materials with which it is mixed being a very simple process. The ore from the mines is merely heated until the sulphur melts and drains away from the earthy impurities. The crude sulphur obtained in this way is distilled in a retort-shaped vessel made of iron, the exit tube of which opens into a cooling chamber of brickwork. When the sulphur vapor first enters the cooling chamber it condenses as a fine crystalline powder called flowers of sulphur. As the condensing chamber becomes warm, the sulphur collects as a liquid in it, and is drawn off into cylindrical molds, the product being called roll sulphur or brimstone.
Physical properties. Roll sulphur is a pale yellow, crystalline solid, without marked taste and with but a faint odor. It is insoluble in water, but is freely soluble in a few liquids, notably in carbon disulphide. Roll sulphur melts at 114.8°. Just above the melting point it forms a rather thin, straw-colored liquid. As the temperature is raised, this liquid turns darker in color and becomes thicker, until at about 235° it is almost black and is so thick that the vessel containing it can be inverted without danger of the liquid running out. At higher temperatures it becomes thin once more, and boils at 448°, forming a yellowish vapor. On cooling the same changes take place in reverse order.
Varieties of sulphur. Sulphur is known in two general forms, crystalline and amorphous. Each of these forms exists in definite modifications.
Crystalline sulphur. Sulphur occurs in two crystalline forms, namely, rhombic sulphur and monoclinic sulphur.
1. Rhombic sulphur. When sulphur crystallizes from its solution in carbon disulphide it separates in crystals which have the same color and melting point as roll sulphur, and are rhombic in shape. Roll sulphur is made up of minute rhombic crystals.
2. Monoclinic sulphur. When melted sulphur is allowed to cool until a part of the liquid has solidified, and the remaining liquid is then poured off, it is found that the solid sulphur remaining in the vessel has assumed the form of fine needle-shaped crystals. These differ much in appearance from the rhombic crystals obtained by crystallizing sulphur from its solution in carbon disulphide. The needle-shaped form is called monoclinic sulphur. The two varieties differ also in density and in melting point, the monoclinic sulphur melting at 120°.
Monoclinic and rhombic sulphur remain unchanged in contact with each other at 96°. Above this temperature the rhombic changes into monoclinic; at lower temperatures the monoclinic changes into rhombic. The temperature 96° is therefore called the transition point of sulphur. Heat is set free when monoclinic sulphur changes into rhombic.
Amorphous sulphur. Two varieties of amorphous sulphur can be readily obtained. These are white sulphur and plastic sulphur.
1. White sulphur. Flowers of sulphur, the preparation of which has been described, consists of a mixture of rhombic crystals and amorphous particles. When treated with carbon disulphide, the crystals dissolve, leaving the amorphous particles as a white residue.
2. Plastic sulphur. When boiling sulphur is poured into cold water it assumes a gummy, doughlike form, which is quite elastic. This can be seen in a very striking manner by distilling sulphur from a small, short-necked retort, such as is represented in Fig. 40, and allowing the liquid to run directly into water. In a few days it becomes quite brittle and passes over into ordinary rhombic sulphur.
Fig. 40
Chemical properties of sulphur. When sulphur is heated to its kindling temperature in oxygen or in the air it burns with a pale blue flame, forming sulphur dioxide (SO2). Small quantities of sulphur trioxide (SO3) may also be formed in the combustion of sulphur. Most metals when heated with sulphur combine directly with it, forming metallic sulphides. In some cases the action is so energetic that the mass becomes incandescent, as has been seen in the case of iron uniting with sulphur. This property recalls the action of oxygen upon metals, and in general the metals which combine readily with oxygen are apt to combine quite readily with sulphur.
Uses of sulphur. Large quantities of sulphur are used as a germicide in vineyards, also in the manufacture of gunpowder, matches, vulcanized rubber, and sulphuric acid.