Magnesium sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula MgS. It is a white or yellowish powder with a melting point of 2,082°C and a boiling point of 1,832°C. Magnesium sulfide is insoluble in water but soluble in acid.
Magnesium sulfide has a crystal structure that belongs to the rock salt (NaCl) structure type. Each magnesium ion is surrounded by six sulfur ions, and each sulfur ion is surrounded by six magnesium ions. This arrangement results in a face-centered cubic lattice.
Magnesium sulfide is a semiconductor material with a bandgap energy of approximately 3.6 eV at room temperature. It is also a wide-bandgap material, meaning it has excellent optical properties in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the spectrum.
Magnesium sulfide has some important practical applications. It can be used as a phosphor for cathode ray tubes and as a catalyst for certain chemical reactions. It also has potential uses in optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes, due to its excellent electrical and optical properties.