TOP: An Effective Source of Phosphorus for Synthesis of Nanosized InP

Trioctylphosphine (TOP), a useful capping agent in preparation of nanoparticles of metals and semiconductors has been exploited as an effective source of phosphorus for synthesis of metal phosphide nanoparticles. The present approach offers greater scope for chemists and materials scientists to work on metal phosphides that otherwise is normally avoided due to requirement of highly toxic phosphine gas and or extremely sensitive organo‐phosphorus reagents. We have synthesized surface‐capped nanosized metal phosphides from the reaction of metal salts and tri‐octylphosphine (TOP) at 250–500°C either by solvo‐thermal or by solid‐state flux method. But the present article is limited to only InP. Black powders of InP were sometime contaminated with impurities of free metal or its metal oxides. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed agglomerated particles. The presence of TOP around the product was confirmed by infra‐red (IR) Spectroscopy and thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA). The composition was studied by energy dispersion X‐ray analysis (EDS). X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed a zinc‐blend structure of InP with crystallite size of less than 50 nm.

Keywords:

• metal phosphide
• semiconductors
• synthesis
• XRD

N. Singh thanks Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, for the award of Young Scientist fellowship under SERC fast track scheme. We thank Dr. T. L. Prakash, Executive Director, C‐MET, Pune for encouragement and permission.