High pressure reactivity of phosphorus and hydrogen is relevant to fundamental chemistry, energy conversion and storage, and materials science. Here we report the synthesis of (PH3)2H2, a crystalline van der Waals (vdW) compound (I4cm) made of PH3 and H2 molecules, in a Diamond Anvil Cell by direct catalyst-free high pressure (1.2 GPa) and high temperature (T ≲ 1000 K) chemical reaction of black phosphorus and liquid hydrogen, followed by room T compression above 3.5 GPa. Group 15 elements were previously not known to form H2-containing vdW compounds of their molecular hydrides. The observation of (PH3)2H2, identified by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman), therefore represents the discovery of a previously missing tile, specifically corresponding to P for pnictogens, in the ability of non-metallic elements to form such compounds. Significant chemical implications encompass reactivity of the elements under extreme conditions, with the observation of the P analogue of the Haber-Bosch reaction for N, fundamental bond theory, and predicted high pressure superconductivity in P-H systems.

High pressure synthesis of phosphine from the elements and the discovery of the missing (PH3)2H2 tile / Ceppatelli, Matteo; Scelta, Demetrio; Serrano-Ruiz, Manuel; Dziubek, Kamil; Garbarino, Gaston; Jacobs, Jeroen; Mezouar, Mohamed; Bini, Roberto; Peruzzini, Maurizio. - In: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. - ISSN 2041-1723. - STAMPA. - 11:(2020), pp. 6125-1-6125-11. [10.1038/s41467-020-19745-2]

High pressure synthesis of phosphine from the elements and the discovery of the missing (PH3)2H2 tile

Ceppatelli, Matteo;Scelta, Demetrio;Bini, Roberto;Peruzzini, Maurizio
2020

Abstract

High pressure reactivity of phosphorus and hydrogen is relevant to fundamental chemistry, energy conversion and storage, and materials science. Here we report the synthesis of (PH3)2H2, a crystalline van der Waals (vdW) compound (I4cm) made of PH3 and H2 molecules, in a Diamond Anvil Cell by direct catalyst-free high pressure (1.2 GPa) and high temperature (T ≲ 1000 K) chemical reaction of black phosphorus and liquid hydrogen, followed by room T compression above 3.5 GPa. Group 15 elements were previously not known to form H2-containing vdW compounds of their molecular hydrides. The observation of (PH3)2H2, identified by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman), therefore represents the discovery of a previously missing tile, specifically corresponding to P for pnictogens, in the ability of non-metallic elements to form such compounds. Significant chemical implications encompass reactivity of the elements under extreme conditions, with the observation of the P analogue of the Haber-Bosch reaction for N, fundamental bond theory, and predicted high pressure superconductivity in P-H systems.
2020
11
6125-1
6125-11
Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
Ceppatelli, Matteo; Scelta, Demetrio; Serrano-Ruiz, Manuel; Dziubek, Kamil; Garbarino, Gaston; Jacobs, Jeroen; Mezouar, Mohamed; Bini, Roberto; Peruzzini, Maurizio
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1217829
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