Low-Temperature Solvothermal Synthesis of Phosphorus-Rich Transition-Metal Phosphides

Solvothermal reactions between a metal chloride (CoCl2, NiCl2, and CuCl2) and dissolved yellow phosphorus in superheated toluene (275 °C) yield nano- or submicrometer sized particles of amorphous metal phosphides that, upon modest annealing (350–500 °C), crystallize to phosphorus-rich metal phosphides CoP3, NiP2, and CuP2.