Controlled synthesis and characterization of nickel phosphide nanocrystal

Ni 2 P nanocrystal with dendritic morphologies was synthesized via a solvothermal reaction between nickel sulfate (Ni-source) and yellow phosphorous (P-source) in a mixture solution of glycol and water. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron diffraction pattern (ED) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) studies show that the as-synthesized nanocrystals is pure Ni 2 P with a hexagonal phase and a dendritic morphology. The growth mechanism of Ni 2 P dendrites involves a special solid–solution–solid transformation as well as an Ostwald ripening process. Moreover the growth of Ni 2 P nanodendrites occurs at the expense of Ni 2 P nanospheres. The effects of experimental conditions such as the volume ratio of glycol to water and solvothermal temperature on the final products were also discussed.