Solid state studies on synthetic and natural crystalline arsenic(III) sulfide, As2S3 (orpiment) : New data for an old compound

Synthetic monoclinic orpiment was recrystallized by annealing the glass at 523 K for 1 year. The apparent heat of fusion of orpiment at Tfus = 601 K (onset) was found to depend linearly on the ratio V/m (V = inner volume of the sample pan, m = in-pan sample mass) because of partial sublimation. This gives ΔfusH = 131 J g-1 if V/m = 0 and the specific volume of the vapor phase v(v) = 190 cm3 g-1 if ΔfusH = 0 at the conditions of the orpiment−liquid−vapor triple point. Lattice parameters of orpiment and liquid density were measured in the 283−393 K and 750−1250 K ranges, respectively. Subsequent specific volume values were used to calculate the slope dp/dT (≈53 MPa K-1) for the orpiment−liquid equilibrium curve of the As2S3 p−T diagram.