Nano-sized nickel borate preparation and characterization

314Nano-sized nickel borate hydrate were precipitated from equimolar mixtures of dilute nickel nitrate and borax solutions at 25°C. Produced nickel borate samples were characterized by TGA, DSC, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, SEM, Elemental Analysis (EDX), Titration (nickel determination by EDTA, B₂O₃ determination by NaOH), Particle Size Distribution, and Dehydration. The particles with 55 nm, 80 nm and 70 nm sizes were obtained for the cases without template, with span 60 and PEG 4000 in the reaction mixture respectively. The empirical formula of the vacuum dried precipitates were NiO.1.3B₂O₃.5.6 H₂O, NiO.1.2B₂O₃.5.6 H₂O and NiO.1.0B₂O₃.5.4 H₂O for the cases without template, with span 60 and PEG 4000. The density of the nickel borate hydrates was around 2 g/ml and they had a color described by 157, 199 and 158 in RGB color scale. The nickel borate hydrates were amorphous in structure and no sharp peaks related to a crystal structure was present in their x-ray diffraction diagram. The effect of presence of span 60 and PEG 4000 were not significant on the particle size and chemical composition of the nanoparticles.