Iron phosphide nanostructures produced from a single-source organometallic precursor:: Nanorods, bundles, crosses, and spherulites

Single-source molecular precursors were found to produce iron phosphide materials. In a surfactant system of trioctylamine and oleic acid, H2Fe3(CO)(9)(PBu)-Bu-t reacted to form Fe-4(CO)(12)((PBu)-Bu-t)(2), which decomposed to give Fe2P nanorods and bundles. Control of the morphology obtained was possible by varying the surfactant system; addition of increasing amounts of oleic acid resulted in crystal splitting, while the addition of microliter amounts of an alkane enhanced the crystal splitting to give sheaflike structures. The different morphologies seen were attributed to imperfect crystal growth mechanisms.