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Zinc Sulfide is a crystalline solid used as a semiconductor and in photo optic applications. It is produced to many standard grades when applicable, including Mil Spec (military grade), ACS, Reagent and Technical Grade, Food, Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Grade, Optical Grade and USP and EP/BP (European Pharmacopoeia/British Pharmacopoeia) and follows applicable ASTM testing standards. Typical and custom packaging is available.
Zinc sulfide can be found in nature as the mineral sphalerite or as wurtzite. It is a white or greyish-white crystal with a faint phosphorus or garlic-like odor. It is insoluble in water and decomposes under strong oxidizing conditions, producing zinc sulfide gas.
Theodore Sidot was the first to discover its luminescent properties in 1866 and Ernest Rutherford was instrumental in utilizing it as a scintillation detector in nuclear physics in 1921. Its ability to emit light when excited by X-rays or electron beams made it useful for cathode ray tubes and the dials of radium timepieces.
Luminous zinc sulfide is typically made by activating it with copper and the resulting material has a yellow-green luminescence when exposed to daylight. It can also be formulated as a flame retardant for use in polymers, replacing antimony trioxide in rigid PVC systems. The mechanism is not fully understood, but it appears to act by reducing the supply of combustible gases and particles feeding the flame, improving thermal stability and pigmentation. It can also be used in a range of other applications as an alternative to phosphorous compounds, such as safety phosphors.