Copper sulfide | EPFL Graph Search

Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?

Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of GraphSearch.

Copper sulfides describe a family of chemical compounds and minerals with the formula CuxSy. Both minerals and synthetic materials comprise these compounds. Some copper sulfides are economically important ores. Prominent copper sulfide minerals include Cu2S (chalcocite) and CuS (covellite). In the mining industry, the minerals bornite or chalcopyrite, which consist of mixed copper-iron sulfides, are often referred to as "copper sulfides". In chemistry, a "binary copper sulfide" is any binary chemical compound of the elements copper and sulfur. Whatever their source, copper sulfides vary widely in composition with 0.5 ≤ Cu/S ≤ 2, including numerous non-stoichiometric compounds. The naturally occurring mineral binary compounds of copper and sulfur are listed below. Investigations of covellite (CuS) indicate that there are other metastable Cu-S phases still to be fully characterised. CuS2, villamaninite or (Cu,Ni,Co,Fe)S2 CuS, covellite, copper monosulfide Cu9S8 (Cu1.12S), yarrowite Cu39S28 (Cu1.39S) spionkopite Cu8S5 (Cu1.6S), geerite Cu7S4 (Cu1.75S), anilite Cu9S5 (Cu1.8S), digenite Cu58S32 (Cu1.8S), roxbyite Cu31S16 (Cu1.96S), djurleite Cu2S, chalcocite Copper sulfides can be classified into three groups: Monosulfides, 1.6 ≤ Cu/S ≤ 2: their crystal structures consist of isolated sulfide anions that are closely related to either hcp or fcc lattices, without any direct S-S bonds. The copper ions are distributed in a complicated manner over interstitial sites with both trigonal as well as distorted tetrahedral coordination and are rather mobile. Therefore, this group of copper sulfides shows ionic conductivity at slightly elevated temperatures. In addition, the majority of its members are semiconductors. Mixed monosulfide and disulfide compounds of copper contain both monosulfide (S2−) as well as disulfide (S2)n− anions. Their crystal structures usually consist of alternating hexagonal layers of monosulfide and disulfide anions with Cu cations in trigonal and tetrahedral interstices. CuS, for example, can be written as Cu3(S2)S.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (4)

Related courses (8)

Related lectures (77)

Related MOOCs (1)

Copper sulfide

Covellite

Covellite (also known as covelline) is a rare copper sulfide mineral with the formula CuS. This indigo blue mineral is commonly a secondary mineral in limited abundance and although it is not an important ore of copper itself, it is well known to mineral collectors. The mineral is generally found in zones of secondary enrichment (supergene) of copper sulfide deposits. Commonly found as coatings on chalcocite, chalcopyrite, bornite, enargite, pyrite, and other sulfides, it often occurs as pseudomorphic replacements of other minerals.

Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color. Copper is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material, and as a constituent of various metal alloys, such as sterling silver used in jewelry, cupronickel used to make marine hardware and coins, and constantan used in strain gauges and thermocouples for temperature measurement.

MSE-101(a): Materials:from chemistry to properties

Ce cours permet l'acquisition des notions essentielles relatives à la structure de la matière, aux équilibres et à la réactivité chimique en liaison avec les propriétés mécaniques, thermiques, électri

MSE-234: Mechanical behaviour of materials

Ce cours est une introduction au comportement mécanique, à l'élaboration, à la structure et au cycle de vie des grandes classes de matériaux de structure (métaux, polymères, céramiques et composites)

ENG-410: Energy supply, economics and transition

This course examines the supply of energy from various angles: available resources, how they can be combined or substituted, their private and social costs, whether they can meet the demand, and how t

Learn the basics of cement chemistry and laboratory best practices for assessment of its key properties.

Rietveld quantitative phase analysis MOOC: Cement Chemistry and Sustainable Cementitious Materials

Explores Rietveld quantitative phase analysis, covering phase fractions, standard calibration, and parameter refinement guidelines.

Demo Experiment: Copper Complex Formation ENV-300: Pollutants analysis in the environment

Demonstrates a copper-rich solution forming complexes with varying colors and changing pH levels.

Trace Metals: Cycling, Regulation, and Biological Role ENV-300: Pollutants analysis in the environment

Discusses the cycling, regulation, and biological role of trace metals in plants.