FPMAGEL - 10-5-2005 at 00:12
I,ve been looking up about steel and i came across a pargraph about PETN and MgS and how when it goes of and burns so hot it can cut throught steel.
I was thinking about heating Mg and sulpher in a argon.
Ideas?thanks
12AX7 - 10-5-2005 at 09:00
Ouch, sounds explosive. I seem to recall Zn + S is volatile enough...
You can get it by reduction of sulfides with magnesium, but most of that goes up as smoke as it is a fast-burning pyrotechnic composition. 
It does leave a brown stinky residue though.
Epsom salts mixed with charcoal would surely do it, might take as much as yellow heat to complete though.
Tim
chemoleo - 10-5-2005 at 11:29
Well it should be a reaction similar to the one between Al and S- which is very energetic.
Try to react magnesium filings with a slight stoichiometric excess of sulphur, and light with a sparkler or something. The reaction is likely to be
energetic, so be careful!
Al + S is easily hydrolysed, and MgS is likely to do the same, so avoid water!