Copper phosphide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula , a phosphide of copper. It is a brittle, yellowish-grey solid.
Copper phosphide does not react with water. It shows fluorescence when subjected to ultraviolet light.
Recent crystallographic investigations have proven Cu<sub>3</sub>P to be copper deficient, which means that the sum formula of this compound is more accurately expressed as Cu<sub>3âÂÂx</sub>P.
Copper phosphide can be produced in a reverberatory furnace or crucible by the reaction of red phosphorus with a copper-rich material.
It can be prepared photochemically, by irradiating cupric hypophosphite with ultraviolet radiation.
It can also be produced by reducing copper(II) phosphate with aluminum.
Copper phosphide has a role in copper alloys, namely in phosphor bronze. It is a very good deoxidizer of copper.