Aluminum Sulfide

Table Of Contents

• Aluminum Sulfide Identification
• How is Aluminum Sulfide Prepared
• Reactions with Other Compounds
• Properties and Characteristics of Aluminum Sulfide
• What is It Used for
• Is Aluminum Sulfide Toxic

Aluminum sulfide, also called dialuminium trisulfide, is an ionic compound of aluminum and sulfur represented by the chemical formula Al₂S₃ ^{[1, 2]}. It exists in different crystalline forms and hydrolyzes to aluminum hydroxide/oxide ^{[3, 4]}.

Aluminum Sulfide Identification
CAS Number	1302-81-4 [1, 2]
PubChem CID	16684788 [6]
ChemSpider ID	140154 [1]
EC Number	215-109-0 [1, 2]
InChI Key	ZPXDOGRYMSWBBM-UHFFFAOYSA-N [6]

Aluminum Sulfide Formula

How is Aluminum Sulfide Prepared

Its synthesis through direct heating of aluminum and sulfur can be represented by the following equation ^[7]:

2Al 3S → Al₂S₃

However, the reaction is highly exothermic, and it is not desirable to heat the entire mixture ^[7]. Also, sulfur is a volatile reactant that melts away before the reaction takes place ^[7]. Therefore, lead sulfide is often used for the preparation of Al₂S₃ ^[7]:

2Al 3PbS → Al₂S₃ 3Pb

Aluminum Sulfide

Reactions with Other Compounds

Aluminum Sulfide and Water

When aluminum sulfide is exposed to moisture in the atmosphere, it undergoes hydrolysis reaction to form aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen sulfide ^[5].

Al₂S₃ 6H₂O → 2Al(OH)₃ 3H₂S

Aluminum Sulfide and Hydrochloric Acid

Aluminum sulfide upon reacting with hydrochloric acid forms hydrogen sulfide and aluminum chloride, as shown below ^[8]:

Al₂S₃ 6HCl → 2AlCl₃ 3H₂S

Aluminum Sulfide Lewis Structure

Properties and Characteristics of Aluminum Sulfide

General Properties
Molar Mass/Molecular Weight	150.158 g/mol [1]
Physical Properties
Color and Appearance	Gray powder or granules [2]
Melting Point	1,100 °C, 2,012 °F [2]
Boiling Point	1,500 °C, 2,732 °F [2]
Density	2.32 g cm-3 [2]
State of matter at room temperature (solid/liquid/gas)	Solid [2]
Solubility	Insoluble in (CH3)2CO (acetone) [9]
Solubility in Water	Reacts and decomposes in H2O [9]
Heat Capacity (C)	105.1 J/mol K
Standard Molar Enthalpy	-724 kJ/mol [9]
Standard Molar Entropy	116.9 J/mol K
Atomic Properties
Crystal Structure	Trigonal, tetragonal, hexagonal [3, 4]

Aluminum Sulfide Crystal Structure

What is It Used for

• Producing organic compounds like ethanethiol and chemicals required for tanning and making paper ^[10]
• Manufacturing cathodes used in lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries ^[11]
• Preparing hydrogen sulfide that has several industrial uses ^[11]

Is Aluminum Sulfide Toxic

Exposure to aluminum sulfide can cause skin and severe eye irritation ^[12]. Inhalation of dust, vapor, or fumes can cause difficulty in breathing ^[12].

References:

1. Aluminum Sulfide (2:3) – Chemspider.com
2. Aluminum Sulfide – Americanelements.com
3. Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Hexagonal Modification of Al₂S₃ with Five-coordinated Aluminum – Onlinelibrary.wiley.com
4. High-pressure Spinel Type Al₂S₃ and MnAl₂S₄ – Adsabs.harvard.edu
5. Aluminum Sulfide React with Water – Chemiday.com
6. ZPXDOGRYMSWBBM-UHFFFAOYSA-N – Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
7. Preparation of Aluminum Sulfide – Prepchem.com
8. Aluminum Sulfide React with Hydrogen – Chemiday.com
9. Aluminum Sulfide [Al₂S₃] – Periodic-table-of-elements.org
10. What Are the Uses of Aluminum Sulfide? – Reference.com
11. Aluminum Sulfide – Chemicalbook.com
12. Safety Data Sheet Aluminum Sulfide – Ltschem.com

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