330 M. Berzelius on Vanadium. 



composes a portion of the supersulphate of vanadium in its 

 nascent state, and much more than of the sulphuret under the 

 same circumstances. The supersulphuret of vanadium may be 

 dried and kept without suffering any alteration ; it appears to 

 be black, but the powder is brown. At a high temperature 

 it yields sulphur, and is converted into sulphuret: it dissolves 

 in the same menstrua as the sulphuret, but its solutions have 

 a deep colour resembling that of strong beer. Sulphuric and 

 muriatic acid do not decompose it. It is composed of 58*64<7 

 parts of vanadium, and 41'353 of sulphur. 



Phosphuret of Vanadium, — When vanadium is heated to 

 redness in an atmosphere of phosphorus in vapour, they do not 

 combine ; but when phosphate of vanadium is heated to white- 

 ness in a charcoal crucible, it is reduced, and gives a porous, 

 gray, unfused mass, which may be compressed, and has then 

 the colour and lustre of plumbago. 



Alloys of Vanadium. — This branch of the history of vana- 

 dium remains to be investigated. M. Sefstrora, who is prin- 

 cipally occupied with metallurgic researches, intends to make 

 it the subject of extensive investigation. The experiments 

 which I have had an opportunity of making on the subject 

 prove that vanadium combines readily with other metals; it 

 is sufficient to fuse by the blowpipe on charcoal several me- 

 tallic vanadates, to reduce them to the state of alloys of vana- 

 dium ; but in this case they are deprived of ductility. In ex- 

 periments upon vanadium, the surface of platina crucibles is 

 often alloyed with vanadium, which does not alter either the 

 colour or the metallic lustre of the platina ; but when it is 

 afterwards heated to redness, the alloyed parts are covered 

 with a layer of fused vanadic acid which preserves them from 

 further oxidation. When they are heated to redness, and af- 

 terwards washed with potash (and this is repeated five or six 

 times), the vanadium is separated. Neither bisulphate of potash 

 nor borax mixed with nitre when melted in the crucible suc- 

 ceed so well. I have not found that the crucibles were in any 

 way injured. 



Sails of Vanadium*. — The salts which contain oxide of 

 vanadium as a base are, with few exceptions, of a superb azure 

 blue colour when in solution. In the solid state and com- 

 bined with water, they are either of a deep or light blue colour, 

 and sometimes greenish. Without water they are generally 

 brown, and sometimes also green. Both the brown and green 

 salts give blue solutions. Their taste is astringent and rather 



• In this translation we have entirely neglected Berzelius's newly in- 

 vented nomenclature. It has increased the difficulties of the science, with- 

 out adding one advantage, that we can perceive. — Edit. 



sweetish, 



