A facile solution-phase synthesis of cobalt phosphide nanorods/hollow nanoparticles.

A simple one-step solution-phase synthesis of cobalt phosphide nanorods (NRs) and hollow nanoparticles (NPs) has been reported in this paper. The phase and morphology evolutions of cobalt phosphide were researched by varying the reaction conditions. The detailed research confirms that oleylamine (OAm) in the reaction firstly reduces Co(acac)2 to the Co phase and the reaction between P atoms from TOP and Co atoms results in the Co2P phase. The as-synthesized NRs and NPs show superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature and ferromagnetic properties at 2 K. The current route provides a new and general chemical method for tunable preparation of cobalt phosphide nanostructures, which are important for further magnetic and catalytic studies.