Spherical and radiate Ni particles prepared by the tartrate precipitation and thermal decomposition method

Nickel tartrate precursor particles were synthesized by the liquid phase precipitation method in an ethanol-water-ammonia mixed solution, with tartaric acid and using nickel chlorate as raw materials, with the pH value controlled at 4.0, and the temperature controlled at 50 °C. Nickel particles with complicated morphology were prepared by the decomposition of nickel taratrate precursor particles at temperatures of 360, 380 and 400 °C, respectively. The study of infrared spectroscopy (IR) indicated that the product was pure nickel tartrate. The studies of the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and organic elemental analysis (OEA) indicated that the molar ratio of Ni²⁺ to (C₄H₄O₆)^2? is close to 1:1. The studies of the differential scanning calorimeter and thermo-gravimetric analysis (DSC-TG) indicated that the chemical formula Ni₂(C₄H₄O₆)₂·5H₂O was confirmed. The studies of X-ray diffractions (XRD) indicated that the silvery white metal powders were pure Ni, with a face-centered cubic crystal structure. The images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the morphology of metal Ni particles was obvious spherical and radiate. The diameter of nickel tartrate particles was about 60 μm, which consisted of many nanolathes; and the diameter of metal Ni particles was about 30 μm, which consisted of many lathes about 0.5 μm in thickness.