Fe2P

Iron phosphide · Diiron phosphide

Fe2P is a stable, metallic iron phosphide compound widely recognized for its utility as a robust catalyst in chemical synthesis.

Crystal structure of Fe2P (hexagonal, P-62m (No. 189))
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Iron phosphide

Fe2P is a metallic transition-metal phosphide that sits securely on the thermodynamic convex hull, indicating high structural stability. Its electronic character allows for efficient charge transfer, making it a highly sought-after material for catalytic processes where durability and conductivity are paramount.

As a member of the phosphide family, this compound is utilized in various chemical transformations where its ability to withstand harsh reaction environments is critical. Its prevalence in structural databases highlights its importance as a foundational material for developing advanced catalytic surfaces.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Iron phosphide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

Metallic / not reported

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
3 DFT sources

Structures

47
4 databases, 6 space groups
Crystallography

Reported Structures

Lowest-energy structures reported for Fe2P, ranked by energy above hull.

Space GroupCrystal SystemBand Gap (eV)E above hull (eV/atom)E/atom (eV)Density (g/cm³)
P-62m (No. 189)hexagonal0.000.0000-7.9097.23
P-1 (No. 2)Triclinic4.67
Cc (No. 9)Monoclinic5.89
Cc (No. 9)Monoclinic5.94
P-62m (No. 189)
P-62m (No. 189)
P-62m (No. 189)
P-62m (No. 189)
P-62m (No. 189)
C2/m (No. 12)Monoclinic6.65
7.42
P-1 (No. 2)Triclinic4.63
Uses

Applications

Where Iron phosphide is used.

Hydrodesulfurization catalystsElectrocatalytic hydrogen evolutionChemical synthesis catalysts
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Iron phosphide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Fe2P?

Fe2P is a stable, metallic iron phosphide compound widely recognized for its utility as a robust catalyst in chemical synthesis.

More questions
What is Fe2P used for?
Iron phosphide (Fe2P) is used in hydrodesulfurization catalysts, electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and chemical synthesis catalysts.
What is the band gap of Fe2P?
Iron phosphide (Fe2P) is computed to be metallic (no band gap) in the reported DFT structures.
Is Fe2P a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Computed band structures report no gap, so it is metallic.
Is Fe2P thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Iron phosphide (Fe2P) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
What is the crystal structure of Fe2P?
The lowest-energy reported polymorph of Iron phosphide (Fe2P) is hexagonal symmetry, space group P-62m (No. 189).
What is the density of Fe2P?
The computed density of the ground-state structure of Iron phosphide (Fe2P) is 7.23 g/cm³.
How many polymorphs of Fe2P are known?
47 structures of Fe2P are reported across 4 databases, spanning 6 distinct space groups.
What elements does Fe2P contain?
Iron phosphide (Fe2P) contains Fe and P (2 elements).
Where does the data for Fe2P come from?
Fe2P data is cross-referenced from materials_project, mpaloe, jarvis, omat24.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the transition-metal phosphide catalysts class.

Within the diverse landscape of transition-metal phosphides, Fe2P stands out for its high thermodynamic stability compared to more complex or phosphorus-rich phases like FeP2 or FeP. While compounds such as Ni2P are frequently studied for similar catalytic applications, Fe2P offers a distinct iron-based alternative that provides a unique balance of metallic character and structural robustness for industrial-scale catalysis.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Transition-Metal Phosphide Catalysts in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
  • mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
  • jarvis — Data from JARVIS (NIST). Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020).
  • omat24 — Data from OMat24 (Meta FAIR). Cite: Barroso-Luque et al., arXiv 2410.12771 (2024).

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