metal-rich phosphide

chemical compound

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June 30, 2026

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A phosphide is a chemical compound where phosphorus is bonded to a metal. The phosphide ion has a charge of P³⁻. Phosphides are known for their diverse chemical and physical properties.1

They can be synthesized by heating metals with phosphorus, or through methods like electrolysis, reacting metals with phosphine, or reducing metal phosphates. Phosphides can be categorized by their stoichiometry: phosphorus-rich, metal-rich, or monophosphides. Metal-rich phosphides are hard, brittle, have high melting points, and exhibit metallic characteristics, including high thermal and electrical conductivity. Phosphides of alkali and alkaline-earth metals show nearly ionic bonding and react with water to produce phosphine.1

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phosphide
…is less than one, (2) metal-rich phosphides, where the metal-to-phosphorus ratio is greater than one, and (3) monophosphides, in which the metal-to-phosphorus ratio is exactly one. Phosphorus-rich phosphides tend to have lower thermal stabilities and lower melting points than phosphides of the other two categories. Examples of these compounds are…
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…is less than one, (2) metal-rich phosphides, where the metal-to-phosphorus ratio is greater than one, and (3) monophosphides, in which the metal-to-phosphorus ratio is exactly one. Phosphorus-rich phosphides tend to have lower thermal stabilities and lower melting points than phosphides of the other two categories. Examples of these compounds are…
Read More