Sol-gel process of carbon-supported nickel nanoparticles using different solvents and protecting atmospheres

Carbon-supported nickel nanoparticles have been prepared by a sol-gel process under N-2 or H-2 atmospheres using different solvents such as distilled water, ethanol, acetone and 1-propanol. In the aqueous sol-gel process, nickel nanoparticles with pure face-centered-cubic (fcc) phase can be obtained under N-2 atmosphere by using nickel nitrate, tartaric acid and sodium dodecyl sulfonate. When organic solvents are applied, nickel (I ) acetylacetone is required in order to obtain nickel nanoparticles with pure fcc phase under N-2 atmosphere. When the protecting atmosphere is H-2, nickel nitrate can be used to obtain nickel particles with pure fcc phase. Nickel nanoparticles with grain sizes of 4-6 nm in diameter can be prepared by using nickel (I ) acetylacetone [Ni(acac)(2)], citric acid and hexadecylamine with solvent being acetone. 1-propanol is also effective in the preparation of nickel nanoparticles in this sol-gel process. We suggest that this sol-gel may be used for other metallic nanocrystals.