Facile, fast, and inexpensive synthesis of monodisperse amorphous nickel-phosphide nanoparticles of predefined size.

Monodisperse, size-controlled Ni-P nanoparticles were synthesised in a single step process using triphenyl-phosphane (TPP), oleylamine (OA), and Ni(II)acetyl-acetonate. The nanoparticles were amorphous, contained ~30 at% P and their size was controlled between 7-21 nm simply by varying the amount of TPP. They are catalytically active for tailored carbon nanotube growth