The ability to control the compositional phase in first
row transition
metal bimetallic carbides as well as systematically controlling the
metal ratio is complicated by the rich phase diagram, differences
in metal reactivity, and differences in carbon solubility in the first-row
metal carbides. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have been shown to
act as a single source precursor for the formation of nanocrystal
metal carbides with maintenance of their metal. An investigation of
crystal phase control in the ternary (Fe
x
Co1–x
)
y
C
z
formed by PBA collapse is yet to be
explored. In this study, we demonstrate the ability to tune phase
(from most carbon rich to least carbon rich) M2C, M5C2, M7C3, and M3C, as well as the bimetallic alloy (M) in bimetallic FeCo nanocarbides
through a strategy that pairs synthetic and density functional theory
approaches to enable future targeted structure–function research
on intriguing catalytic, therapeutic, and magnetic applications.