Gelatin induced reduction of uniform nano-platelets of Ni(OH)2 to Ni metal

Abstract: Uniform stable nanosize nickel platelets were prepared by first coating Ni(OH)2 particles of the same shape with gelatin and then heating them at moderate temperatures in nitrogen without addition of any reducing agents. The resulting platelets consist of a mixture of Ni and NiO. Depending on the amount of gelatin coating and temperature, up to 73% of solids were converted to the metal. Subsequent heating of such powders at 190°C in a stream of 5% H2 in N2 produced only Ni platelets with a modal length of ∼60nm and several nm thick. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]