Abstract
Previous preparation of iron phosphide nanowires usually employed toxic and unstable iron carbonyl compounds as precursor. In this study, we demonstrate that iron phosphide nanowires can be synthesized via a facile nonaqueous chemical route that utilizes a commonly available iron precursor, iron (III) acetylacetonate. In the synthesis, trioctylphosphine (TOP) and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) have been used as surfactants, and oleylamine has been used as solvent. The crystalline structure and morphology of the as-synthesized products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained iron phosphide nanowires have a typical width of ~16 nm and a length of several hundred nanometers. Structural and compositional characterization reveals a hexagonal Fe2P crystalline phase. The morphology of as-synthesized products is greatly influenced by the ratio of TOP/TOPO. The presence of TOPO has been found to be essential for the growth of high-quality iron phosphide nanowires. Magnetic measurements reveal ferromagnetic characteristics, and hysteresis behaviors below the blocking temperature have been observed.
Highlights
Nanoscale building blocks have attracted much interest due to their potential applications in replacement of traditional materials in the coming few decades
We demonstrate that iron phosphide nanowires can be synthesized via a facile nonaqueous chemical route that utilizes a commonly available iron precursor, iron (III) acetylacetonate
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (HRTEM) images were taken on individual nanowires to observe their microstructures
Summary
Houde She • Yuanzhi Chen • Ruitao Wen • Kui Zhang • Guang-Hui Yue • Dong-Liang Peng Received: 7 January 2010 / Accepted: 30 January 2010 / Published online: 16 February 2010 Ó The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have