A mild one-step solvothermal route to metal phosphides (metal = Co, Ni, Cu)

Nanocrystalline Co2P Ni2P, and Cu3P were successfully prepared through a simple solvothermal process based on the direct reactions of metal halides with yellow phosphorus at rather mild temperatures (80-140 degrees C) with ethylenediamine used as the solvent, XRD, XPS, and TEM were used to study the phases, compositions, and morphologies of the final products, A possible mechanism is proposed and the influential factors in the process are discussed in detail. (C) 2000 Academic Press.