Selective Synthesis of Magnetic Fe2P/C and FeP/C Core/Shell Nanocables

Composite core-shell nanostructures have greatly extended the properties of single-component counterparts, and display new bi- or multifunctionality in optical, electric, magnetic, catalytic, and biological performances. In this letter, we described the selective synthesis of uniform magnetic Fe2P/C and FeP/C core/shell nanocables via an organometallic route by thermolysis reactions of ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)(2)) with triphenylphosphine (PPh3) in sealed vacuum tubes at similar to 400 degrees C. The selective synthesis was readily accessed by controlling the heating rate and the molar ratio of reactants, and the Fe2P/C and FeP/C nanocables exhibited interesting ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition with high blocking temperatures. Our method enriches core species and carbon sources for carbon shells, which can be widely extended to prepare new types of inorganic/carbon core shell nanostructures, and the resulting magnetic nanocables may be used as components in nanomagnetic devices.