Mercuric sulfide

Mercuric Sulfide. Mercuric s A ide[1344 8-5] HgS, exists ia two stable forms. The black cubic tetrahedral form is obtaiaed when soluble mercuric salts and sulfides are mixed the red hexagonal form is found ia nature as cinnabar (vermilion pigment). Both forms are very insoluble in water (see Pigments, inorganic). Red mercuric sulfide is made by heating the black sulfide in a concentrated solution of alkah polysulfide. The exact shade of the pigment varies with concentration, temperature, and time of reaction. 

The toxic effects of mercury and mercury compounds as well as their medicinal properties have been known for many centuries. In the first century AD, Pliny indicated the use of mercuric sulfide (cinnabar or vermilion) in medicine and in cosmetics. This compound was probably known to the Greeks in the time of Aristotle (13). 

Galen, a physician whose views outUved him by about a thousand years, died about 200 AD. He beUeved that mercurials were toxic, and did not use any mercury compound therapeutically. However, as a result of Arabian influence, the therapeutic uses of mercury were slowly recognized by Western Europe. In the thirteenth century mercury ointments were prescribed for treating chronic diseases of the skin. Mercury and its compounds, such as mercurous chloride, mercuric oxide, mercuric chloride, and mercuric sulfide, were used widely from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, and to some extent in the twentieth century. During the first half of the twentieth century, the primary therapeutic uses of mercury included bactericidal preparations, such as mercuric chloride, mercuric oxycyanide, and mercuric oxide and diuretics, such as aryl HgX (Novasural) and mercurated ahyl derivatives (14). 

Soluble sulfides such as sodium sulfide, potassium sulfide, and calcium polysulfides have been used to precipitate mercury salts from alkaline solutions. When this procedure is used, exercise of caution is requked to maintain the pH within a given alkaline range so as to prevent evolution of H2S. Because the solubiUty of mercuric sulfide in water is 12.5 flg/L at 18°C or 10.7 ppb of mercury, use of this method for removal of mercury is adequate for most purposes. However, the presence of excess alkah, such as sodium hydroxide or sodium sulfide, increases the solubiUty of mercuric sulfide as shown ... 

Thus, at a concentration of 0.95 g Na2S /100 g solution, the solubihty of mercuric sulfide has increased to 2100 ppm. It is customary to use no greater than a 20% excess of the alkah sulfide. Because the particle size of the precipitated mercuric sulfide is so small, it is helpful to add a ferric compound such as ferric chloride or ferric sulfate to effect flocculation. Sometimes other flocculating agents (qv) may also be added, eg, starch or gum arabic. 

A third form of cadmium pigments includes the mercury cadmiums. Mercuric sulfide (HgS) forms soHd solutions up to about 20 mol % with the oranges, reds, and maroons. The heat stabiUty is improved up to 370°C, and the costs are somewhat lower than the CP grades. The mercury cadmiums are slightly more reactive, but have excellent bleed resistance. 

Merkuri-jodid, n. mer curic iodide, mercury (II) iodide, -nitrat, n. mercuric nitrate, mercury-(II) nitrate. -oxyd, n. mercuric oxide, mercury (II) oxide, -rhodanid, n. mercuric thiocyanate, mercury(II) thiocyanate, -salz, n. mercuric salt, mercury (II) salt, -sulfati n. mercuric sulfate, mercury (II) sulfate, -sulfidt ti. mercuric sulfide, mercury (II) sulfide. -sulfozyamd, n. mercuric thiocyanate. 

Merkuro-. mercurous, mercury (I), -azetat, n. mercurous acetate. mercury(I) acetate, -chlorld, n. mercurous chloride, mercury(I) choride. -chrom, n. (Pharm.) mercuro chrome, -jodid, n. n ercurous iodide, mer-cury(I) iodide. -nitrat, n. mercurous nitrate, mercury(I) nitrste. -oxyd, n. mercurous oxide, mercury(I) oxide, -salz, n. mercurous salt, mercury (I) salt, -sulfat, n. mercurouasulfate, mercury(I) sulfate, -sulfid, n. mercurous sulfide, mercury(I) sulfide, -verbindung, /. mercurous compound, mercury (I) compound. 

Merkur-oxyd, n. niercury oxide, specif, mercuric oxide, mercury(II) oxide, -silber, n. silver amalgam, -sulfid, n. mercury sulfide, specif, mercuric sulfide, mercury(II) sulfide. 

The mercuric sulfide may be saved and converted to metallic mercury or mercuric chloride by the usual procedures. 

Mercuric sulfide (HgS) is dimorphic. The more common form, cinnabar (red a-form), has a distorted RS, trigonal structure which is unique among the monosulfides, for the crystal is built of helical chains in which Hg has two nearest neighbors at 2.36 A, two more at 3.10 A, and two at 3.30 A. Bulk a-HgS is a large-gap semiconductor (2.1 eV), transparent in the red and near IR bands. The rare, black mineral metacinnabarite is the 3-HgS polymorph with a ZB structure, in which Hg forms tetrahedral bonds. Upon heating, 3-HgS is converted to the stable a-form. The ZB structure of HgS is stabilized under a few percent admixture of transition metals, which replace Hg ions in the lattice. 

Let us add here that the fabrication of polycrystalline semiconductive films with enhanced photoresponse and increased resistance to electrochemical corrosion has been attempted by introducing semiconductor particles of colloidal dimensions to bulk deposited films, following the well-developed practice of producing composite metal and alloy deposits with improved thermal, mechanical, or anti-corrosion properties. Eor instance, it has been reported that colloidal cadmium sulfide [105] or mercuric sulfide [106] inclusions significanfly improve photoactivity and corrosion resistance of electrodeposited cadmium selenide. 

Ravichandran M, Aiken GR, Reddy MM, Ryan JN. 1998. Enhanced dissolution of cinnabar (mercuric sulfide) by organic matter from the Florida Everglades. Environ Sci Technol 32 3305-3311. 

Mercury (chemical symbol Hg, from the Latin name of the metal, hydrar-gyrium, liquid silver), previously also known as quicksilver is, at ordinary temperatures, a silvery white liquid metal that boils at 360°C. The metal is occasionally found in nature in the native state. Most mercury has been derived, however, from the red mineral cinnabar (composed of mercuric sulfide) that was also used in the past as a red pigment known as vermilion (see Textbox 41). The Greek philosopher Aristotle, writing in the fourth... 

Arsenic disulfide, boron trisulfide and mercuric sulfide all ignite in chlorine at... 

Bolkem [Boliden] A process for removing mercury from the sulfuric acid from metallurgical smelters. Addition of aqueous sodium thiosulfate causes mercuric sulfide to be precipitated. Operated at Helsingborg, Sweden, since 1974. 

Venetian red inorg chem A pigment with a true red hue contains 15-40% ferric oxide and 60-80% calcium sulfate. va nesh an red verdigris See cupric acetate. vard-a.gres ( vermiiion See mercuric sulfide. var mil-yan (... 

Mercuric sulfide (HgS) is a fine, very brilhant scarlet powder that is deadly if ingested. Also known as the mercury ore cinnabar and metacinnabar, it is used as a pigment in the manufacture of paints. 

The element does not occur in nature in native form. Its principal mineral is cinnabar, the red mercuric sulfide, HgS. Black mercuric sulfide, metacinnabar, also is found in nature. Other ores are hvingstonite, HgSh4S coloradite, HgTe tiemannite, HgSe and calomel, HgCl. Its concentration in the earth s crust is estimated to be 0.08 mg/kg. The average concentration in sea water is about 0.03 ag/L. 

Synonyms mercuric sulfide cinnahar vermilion metacinnabar... 

The syntheses of disilathiane and its methylated analogues by the reaction of mercuric sulfide with gaseous iodosilanes is described here in detail. The procedures are convenient, take about 2 hours, and are well suited to small-scale vacuum-line techniques, using a minimum of special appartus. The yields are in the range of 90-95%. 

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