Displacement reactions between metal and liquid sulfides

Displacement reactions between liquid sulfides and metals are studied and compared with the resultant morphologies previously observed in solid-state sulfide-metal and oxide-metal displacement reactions. In all cases the aggregate morphology was observed indicating that the rate controlling step in a tentatively assumed layered arrangement would be diffusion of atomic sulfur through the product metal. The experimentally observed morphologies for NbNi₃S₂ (1), NbFeS (1) and CuNi₃S₂ reaction couples are reported and rationalized. Detailed analysis of the liquid sulfide displacement reactions considered are not possible because of the lack of available thermodynamic and diffusivity data for the sulfide systems.