General Strategy for Controlled Synthesis of NixPy/Carbon and Its Evaluation as a Counter Electrode Material in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.Hydrothermal treatment of nickel acetate and phosphoric acid aqueous solution followed with a carbothermal reduction assisted phosphorization process using sucrose as the carbon source for the controlled synthesis of NixPy/C was successfully realized for the first time.  The synthesis strategy is divided into four distinguishable stages: (1) hydrothermal preparation of Ni3(PO4)2·8H2O precursor for stabilizing P sources; (2) dimerization of Ni3(PO4)2·8H2O into more thermal stable Ni2P2O7 amorphous phase along with the generation of NiO; (3) carbothermal reduction and phosphidation of NiO into NixPy (0 ≤ y/x ≤ 0.5); and (4) further phosphidation of mixed-phase NixPy and carbothermal reduction of Ni2P2O7 into single-phase Ni2P. 
THERM