Gammasulfur

Gammasulfur is a crystalline allotrope of sulfur. It is one of the less common forms of solid sulfur, typically encountered at elevated temperatures. It exists in a monoclinic crystal structure, distinguishing it from the more stable orthorhombic sulfur (alpha-sulfur) and the less stable rhombic sulfur (beta-sulfur). Gammasulfur is formed when sulfur is crystallized from its molten state within a specific temperature range, generally between 95.5 °C and 115.2 °C, the transition point to alpha-sulfur. Below 95.5 °C, gammasulfur will spontaneously transform into the more stable alpha-sulfur form. Its density and other physical properties differ from other sulfur allotropes due to its unique crystal packing. While alpha-sulfur is the most commercially significant and thermodynamically stable form at room temperature, gammasulfur is important for understanding the phase behavior of sulfur and its transformations. Its existence highlights the complexity of sulfur chemistry and the multiple ways its atoms can arrange themselves in a solid state.