Title: Nano-sized agglomerated Ni particles synthesised by a phase transformation method

Authors: Mohammad Sakhawat Hussain, Kazi Mohammad Anamoul Haque, Abdul Rahman Ghihab

Addresses: Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia. ' Atomic Energy Research Institute, King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), POB 6086, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia. ' National Nanotechnology Research Center, King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), POB 6086, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Nano-sized nickel particles have been prepared by using a |phase transformation| method. Nickel chloride was used as a precursor, hydrazine as a reducing agent in the presence of an anionic surfactant sodium-dodecyl-sulphate (SDS) and PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone – a cationic polymer) in a strong basic medium. Initially the effect of SDS and SDS-PVP on the particle size formation was studied, then hydrazine only and then followed by the effect of adding SDS to the solution. SEM characterisation showed that in the absence of SDS-PVP the Ni particles were almost spherical but when SDS and SDS-PVP were present the particles showed very spiky morphology. Much finer particles were produced when SDS was used on its own. However, the combination of SDS-PVP had produced the finest particles in our research work. Froth contained Ni particles; TEM characterisation showed these Ni particles were much finer than the particles collected from the precipitated particles.

Keywords: nano-nickel particles; phase transformation; nanocomposites; nanoparticles; nanotechnology; nickel chloride; hydrazine; particle size.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2011.038250

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2011 Vol.4 No.1, pp.33 - 44

Published online: 13 Mar 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article