Patent ID: 8545736

Claim:
Metal phosphide nanocrystals prepared by: adjusting a temperature of a metal precursor solution to a predetermined temperature, the metal precursor solution comprising a metal precursor, a dispersant and a solvent; preparing a phosphite compound solution, wherein the phosphite compound is represented by Formula 1 below: P(OR) 3 (Formula 1) wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a substituted or an unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, aryl, ether, ethylene oxide, and propylene oxide; feeding the phosphite compound solution to the metal precursor solution to form a mixture; reacting the mixture to grow metal phosphide nanocrystals; and separating the metal phosphide nanocrystals from the mixture, wherein the metal phosphide nanocrystals comprise the phosphite compound represented by Formula 1 remaining on the surface of the nanocrystals.