Abstract
SEVERAL attempts to obtain X-ray diffraction patterns of crystalline white phosphorus have been made1. It is claimed by some that the ready reversion of the white to the red form under irradiation with X-rays prevents any pattern being obtained, while others suggest that the high degree of thermal motion in the crystal lattice will render it impossible to obtain anything but a few very diffuse rings. Natta and Passerini2, however, state that they obtained a well-defined powder photograph of white phosphorus with 22 lines, using iron Kα radiation at − 35° C. They claim that the substance is cubic with [a] = 7.17 A., containing four molecules of P4 per unit cell, but give no other data.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Joung, H., Cent. Min. Geol., 107 (1926). Thomas, H. A., and Gingrich, N. S., J. Chem. Phys., 6, 659 (1938). Hultgren, R. S., and Warren, B. E., J. Chem. Phys., 3, 351 (1935).
Natta, G., and Passerini, L., Nature, 125, 707 (1930).
Maxwell, L. R., and Mosley, V. M., J. Chem. Phys., 3, 699 (1935).
Pauling, L., “The Nature of the Chemical Bond” (Cornell, 1944).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CORBRIDGE, D., LOWE, E. Structure of White Phosphorus: Single Crystal X-Ray Examination. Nature 170, 629 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1038/170629a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/170629a0
This article is cited by
-
Flat epitaxial quasi-1D phosphorene chains
Nature Communications (2021)
-
Modeling of Thermodynamic Properties and Phase Equilibria of the Si-P System
Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion (2014)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.