What Are The Physical And Chemical Properties Of Cadmium Phosphide?

Cadmium phosphide is a compound with the chemical formula Cd3P2. It is a yellowish-brown solid that has a wurtzite crystal structure.

Physically, cadmium phosphide is insoluble in water and has a high melting point of 1,417°C. It is also a semiconductor with an indirect bandgap of around 1.5 electron volts.

Chemically, cadmium phosphide can react with strong acids to produce phosphine gas (PH3) and soluble cadmium salts. It is also susceptible to oxidation and can be easily oxidized by air or oxygen at elevated temperatures. When heated, it can decompose into cadmium and phosphorus.

Due to its semiconductor properties, cadmium phosphide has been used in electronic devices such as solar cells and photodiodes. However, its use has become limited due to concerns about the toxicity of cadmium.