A Novel Carbothermal Synthesis Route for Carbon Nanotube Supported FeP Nanoparticles.

A novel carbothermal route for the synthesis of supported FeP nanoparticles was developed. In contrast to the conventional H-temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) method, this route uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as support and reducing agent. Additionally, FeP nanoparticles can be obtained using FeO and ammonium hydrogen phosphate as precursors by this route. The Fe:P precursor ratio has a significant effect on the phase composition of iron phosphide product, and near pure FeP can be obtained on CNTs with a phosphorus content a little beyond the stoichiometric ratio. It was observed that the FeP product had a smaller particle size than that obtained from the commonly used iron phosphate precursor. It was found that the size of FeP nanoparticles obtained via this carbothermal route appeared to depend on the size of Fe-containing precursor, which indicated that it was possible to synthesize FeP nanoparticles with a wide size range by systematically adjusting the particle size of FeO precursor on CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]