Synthesis of CuO@NiO core-shell nanoparticles by homogeneous precipitation method

Core-shell CuO-NiO mixed metal oxide nanoparticles in which CuO is the core and NiO is the shell have been successfully synthesized using homogeneous precipitation method. This is a simple synthetic method which produces first a layered double hydroxide precursor with core-shell morphology which on calcination at 350 degrees C yields the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles with the retention of core-shell morphology. The CuO-NiO mixed metal oxide precursor and the core-shell nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The chemical reactivity of the core-shell nanoparticles was tested using catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol with NaBH4. The possible growth mechanism of the particles with core-shell morphology has also been investigated. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.