Silver - Gold - Sulfur

Alan Prince, updated by Ping Liang

Introduction

Early chemical work indicated the formation of the compounds Ag₃AuS₂ [96Ant] and AgAuS [96MaL]. Recent work has substantiated the existence of both compounds whether prepared chemically by the reaction of Ag₂S precipitates with thiogold (I) complexes or by direct reaction of the elements at 500°C in evacuated silica tubes [66Tav, 66Mes, 67Tav, 68Gra, 70Smi, 76Fol, 80Bar]. The sulfide in equilibrium with Au-rich Ag-Au alloys and S vapor at 500°C contains 50±10 at.% Ag₂S [64Bar]. Phase equilibrium data are reported for the solid state reactions in the pseudobinary system Au_xAg_2-xS for x = 0 to 0.5 [68Gra] and for x = 0 to 1.0 [76Fol, 80Bar]. The data are in reasonably good agreement. Crystal structure determinations have been reported for AuAgCited references - 17, figures - 4, tables - 1, chapters - 5