Calcium Sulfide

jamimon

Hi, I need to do this experiment where calcium hydroxide + sulfur will yield CaS. But When I put the CaOH powder into the water, it just sank into the bottom; and the sulfur powder doesn't even mix with water. Anyway I just boil them together and there are some yellow-greenish thingy at the bottom of the brown liquid, any idea how to make them mix properly? Thanks.

Professor_Fink

What exactly are you trying to do, and why? It seems odd to be doing experiments in a setting where there is no one who can give you advice on this, and as you can imagine we have a policy against giving advice on acquiring/using dangerous chemicals.

jamimon

trying to make spray for the bonsai tree. I've been trying to find the the spray for ages and they don't seems to sell them in Ireland. It's just a hobby. If this chemical is dangerous you can just delete my post.

Garseys

Wouldn't it be easier to order the damn thing than try make it, theres a UK website that sells it here

Well, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lime_sulfur

In horticulture, lime sulfur (British spelling lime sulphur) is a mixture of calcium polysulfides formed by reacting calcium hydroxide with sulfur, used in pest control. It can be prepared by boiling calcium hydroxide and sulfur together with a small amount of surfactant. It is normally used as an aqueous solution, which is reddish-yellow in colour and has a distinctive offensive odour.

So I guess you're missing surfactant. I'd definitely just buy it though.

Also, no matter where you get it, make sure you're handling it safely, wear gloves, dilute it properly before use etc.

jamimon

Garseys wrote: »

Wouldn't it be easier to order the damn thing than try make it, theres a UK website that sells it here

oh jee thanks. I've been looking for that thing for ages.