Forgive me if this is a common knowledge question, but how does one go about producing iron, copper and/or alluminum sulfide... Alluminum sulfide is said to be produced from "ignition of the elements" and iron by "reacting iron and sulfur"?... Copper sulfide seems easy enough as I have copper powder:-) but can I use molten aluminum/ iron and sulfur or does it have to be powder? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Forgive me if this is a common knowledge question, but how does one go about producing iron, copper and/or alluminum sulfide... Alluminum sulfide is said to be produced from "ignition of the elements" and iron by "reacting iron and sulfur"?... Copper sulfide seems easy enough as I have copper powder:-) but can I use molten aluminum/ iron and sulfur or does it have to be powder? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

The reaction of iron powder and sulfur powder is violent, as is the reaction of aluminum with sulfur (difficult to get to ignite and it reeks immediately after making it from toxic H2S). Copper sulfide needs to be made by adding a source of sulfide anion to an aqueous solution of a copper salt.

 

Treat them like pyrotechnics.

Perhaps I was thinking of zinc and sulfur as excessively violent instead of the iron and sulfur. The iron doesn't seem to be too bad, but you can't do it in a beaker or anything. It does get quite hot.

 

The aluminum I have done myself and can attest that when it finally ignites, it isn't nearly as tame.