Pure sulfur exists in two stable crystalline forms (a) Alpha-sulfur: rhombic, octahedral yellow crystals stable at room temperature. (b) Beta-sulfur: monoclinic, prismatic pale yellow crystals slowly changing to alpha form below 94.5°C. Both forms are insoluble in water, but slightly soluble in alcohol and ether. High purity sulfur is soluble in carbon disulfide, carbon tetracholoride, and benzene. It is combustible but nontoxic. High purity sulfur is mainly used for preparation of optoelectronic devices, glass, semiconductor components, and analysis of standard sample.
In nature, sulfur can be found as the pure element and as sulfide and sulfate minerals. Elemental sulfur crystals are commonly sought after by mineral collectors for their brightly colored polyhedron shapes. Being abundant in native form, sulfur was known in ancient times, mentioned for its uses in ancient Greece, China and Egypt. Sulfur fumes were used as fumigants, and sulfur-containing medicinal mixtures were used as balms and antiparasitics. Sulfur is referenced in the Bible as brimstone in English, with this name still used in several nonscientific tomes. It was needed to make the best quality of black gunpowder. In 1777, Antoine Lavoisier helped convince the scientific community that sulfur was a basic element, rather than a compound.
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