Fine nickel(Ni) powders with controllable particle sizes were synthesized via the reduction of nickel hydrazine complex precursors of pure [Ni(N2H4)2]Cl2 and a mixture of [Ni(N2H4)2]Cl2 and [Ni(N2H4)3]Cl2 in aqueous solution. The mechanism of the formation of metallic Ni powders experiences the reduction of nickel hydroxide by hydrazine released from the ligand exchange reaction between nickel hydrazine complex and NaOH. In comparison with the method of preparing Ni powders from nickel salts,the method of making Ni powders via the reduction of nickel hydrazine complex precursors shows the advantages of using half dosage of hydrazine for complete reduction of nickel ions in solution,and the obtained Ni particles show less agglomeration and better dispersibility. Moreover,the average particle size of nickel powders can be controlled from 180 to 260 nm by adjusting the reaction molar ratio and concentration.
A microemulsion-mediated hydrothermal method for synthesis of YVO4:RE(RE=Yb 3+/Er 3+,Yb 3+/Tm 3+)nanoparticles by hydrothermal treatment of quaternary microemulsion medium consisting of Na3VO4/NaOH and RE(NO3)3 aqueous solution, surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB),cosurfactant n-hexanol and oil phase n-heptane was report.The confinement of microemulsion droplets acting as microreactors during the reaction process allows the formation of small size YVO4:RE nanoparticles with relatively narrow size distribution and less aggregation.The structure,size and shape of YVO4:RE nanoparticles were investigated by means of X-ray diffractometry(XRD)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).Compared with the conventional solid annealing diffusion method,the microemulsion-mediated hydrothermal method shows superiority in obtaining YVO4:RE nanoparticles with controllable size,narrow size distribution and less aggregation.The microemulsion-mediated hydrothermal method may be potentially applicable for synthesis of other rare earth doped up-converting luminescence nanomaterials.
