Ca3P2
calcium phosphide · tricalcium diphosphide
Calcium phosphide is a reactive, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily utilized for its ability to generate phosphine gas upon hydrolysis.
About calcium phosphide
Calcium phosphide is a binary inorganic compound composed of calcium and phosphorus. It functions as a semiconductor and is recognized for its high reactivity, particularly when exposed to moisture, which leads to the release of phosphine gas.
Due to its tendency to exist above the thermodynamic hull, it is considered a metastable material that requires careful handling. Its primary utility stems from its chemical reactivity, making it a specialized reagent in industrial and agricultural settings.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for calcium phosphide, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting Ca3P2.
Applications
Where calcium phosphide is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about calcium phosphide, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Ca3P2?
Calcium phosphide is a reactive, semiconducting inorganic compound primarily utilized for its ability to generate phosphine gas upon hydrolysis.
What is Ca3P2 used for?
What is the band gap of Ca3P2?
Is Ca3P2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Ca3P2 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of Ca3P2 are known?
How is Ca3P2 synthesized?
What elements does Ca3P2 contain?
Where does the data for Ca3P2 come from?
How It Compares
As a binary phosphide, calcium phosphide occupies a distinct niche in materials science where its semiconducting nature is balanced against its inherent thermodynamic instability, setting it apart from more robust, inert ceramic phases.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
Analyze Ca3P2 in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →