Zinc diphosphide explained

Zinc diphosphide (ZnP₂) is an inorganic chemical compound. It is a red semiconductor solid with a band gap of 2.1 eV.^[1] It is one of the two compounds in the zinc-phosphorus system, the other being zinc phosphide (Zn₃P₂).

Synthesis and reactions

Zinc diphosphide can be prepared by the reaction of zinc with phosphorus.

2 Zn + P₄ → 2 ZnP₂

Structure

ZnP₂ has a room-temperature tetragonal form that converts to a monoclinic form at around 990 °C.^[2] In both of these forms, there are chains of P atoms, helical in the tetragonal, semi-spiral in the monoclinic.^[3]

This compound is part of the Zn-Cd-P-As quaternary system and exhibit partial solid-solution with other binary compounds of the system.^[4]

Safety

ZnP₂, like Zn₃P₂, is highly toxic due to the release of phosphine gas when the material reacts with gastric acid.

Notes and References

1. Two crystal forms of ZnP2, their preparation, structure, and optoelectronic properties. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids. Hegyi. I. J.. 24. 333–337. Loebner. E. E.. 1963. Poor (Jr.). E. W.. White. J. G.. 2. 10.1016/0022-3697(63)90140-9. 1963JPCS...24..333H.
2. Thermodynamic re-assessment of the Zn–P binary system. Materialia. Ghasemi. M.. 6. 100301. Stutz. E. Z.. 10.1016/j.mtla.2019.100301. Escobar Steinvall. S.. Zamani. M.. Fontcuberta i Morral. A.. 2019. 140792691 .
3. Hans Georg von Schnering and Wolfgang Hönle, 1994, Phosphides: Solid State Chemistry, Encyclopedia of Inorganic chemistry, Ed. R Bruce King, John Wiley and Sons,
4. Compounds and solid solutions of the Zn-Cd-P-As system in semiconductor electronics. Inorganic Materials. Trukhan. V. M.. 50. 868–873. Izotov. A. D.. 9. 10.1134/S0020168514090143. 2014. Shoukavaya. T. V.. 94409384.