Nickel arsenide

Nickel arsenide
Identifiers
CAS Number
3D model (JSmol)
ECHA InfoCard 100.043.776
EC Number
  • 248-169-1
PubChem CID
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
InChI
  • InChI=1S/As.Ni
    Key: UIFOTCALDQIDTI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES
  • [Ni].[As]
Properties
Chemical formula
AsNi
Molar mass 133.6150 g·mol−1
Appearance red solid
Density 7.57 g/cm3
Melting point 968 °C (1,774 °F; 1,241 K)
Solubility in water
nearly insoluble
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Pictograms
GHS08: Health hazardGHS07: Exclamation markGHS09: Environmental hazard
Signal word
Danger
Hazard statements
H317, H350i, H372, H410
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
LD50 (median dose)
6000 mg/kg (acute oral, rat)[1]
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Nickel arsenide refers to inorganic compounds composed of nickel and arsenic. Several forms exist including a monoarsenide with the chemical formula NiAs and another with the formula Ni5As2.[2] It is highly toxic and a known carcinogen.[3]

Occurrence

Nickel arsenide occurs in the following minerals:

  • Nickeline (NiAs)[4]
  • Orcelite (Ni5-xAs2, x ~ 0.25)[5]
  • Maucherite (Ni11As8)[6]

Preparation

Nickel arsenide can be prepared by direct combination of the elements:[7]

Ni(s) + As(s) → NiAs(s)

History

Nickel arsenide was one of the first compounds that revealed the toxicity of nickel. The damage to the miners' lungs was documented by Georgius Agricola in the 16th century: "kupfer-nickel" ores in the Schneeberg mines contained red-colored NiAs mineral originally mistaken for the copper ore, thus the German: kupfer (copper) in the name. The German: Nickel (demon) name was reflecting the damage it did to the health of the workers,[8] in addition to them being unable to extract any copper from this ore.

References

  1. ^ Reagan, E. L. (1992). "Acute Oral LD50 Study in Rats with Nickel Arsenide". Journal of the American College of Toxicology. 11 (6). SAGE Publications: 695. doi:10.3109/10915819209142088. ISSN 0730-0913.
  2. ^ Heyding, R. D.; Calvert, L. D. (October 1957). "Arsenides of the transition metals: ii. the nickel arsenides". Canadian Journal of Chemistry. 35 (10): 1205–1215. doi:10.1139/v57-161. ISSN 0008-4042.
  3. ^ Gurley, Lawrence; Valdez, Joseph; Miglio, John; Cox, Summers; Tobey, Robert (1986). "Biological availability of nickel arsenides: Cellular response to soluble Ni5As2". Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A. 17 (1): 101–117. doi:10.1080/15287398609530806. ISSN 1528-7394.
  4. ^ "Nickeline". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  5. ^ "Orcelite". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  6. ^ "Maucherite". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  7. ^ Shriver, D.; Atkins, P. (2009). Shriver and Atkins' Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. p. 383. ISBN 978-1-4292-1820-7.
  8. ^ Sunderman, F.W. (1989). "A pilgrimage into the archives of nickel toxicology" (PDF). Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science. 19 (1): 1–16. ISSN 0091-7370. PMID 2644888. Retrieved 2024-10-13.

Further reading

  • Thompson, J.G.; Rae, A.D.; Withers, R.L.; Welberry, T.R.; Willis, A.C. (1988-08-10). "The crystal structure of nickel arsenide". Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics. 21 (22). IOP Publishing: 4007–4015. Bibcode:1988JPhC...21.4007T. doi:10.1088/0022-3719/21/22/016. ISSN 0022-3719.