Anantharaman, M R; Veena Gopalan, E; Malini, K A; Santhosh Kumar, G; Narayanan, T N; Joy, P A; Al-Omari, I A; Yasuhiko, Yoshida; Sakthi Kumar, D(Springer, April 2, 2010)
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Abstract:
Potential applications of nickel nanoparticles
demand the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles
by different synthesis techniques. A novel and simple
technique for the synthesis of self-protected nickel nanoparticles
is realized by the inter-matrix synthesis of nickel
nanoparticles by cation exchange reduction in two types of
resins. Two different polymer templates namely strongly
acidic cation exchange resins and weakly acidic cation
exchange resins provided with cation exchange sites which
can anchor metal cations by the ion exchange process are
used. The nickel ions which are held at the cation exchange
sites by ion fixation can be subsequently reduced to metal
nanoparticles by using sodium borohydride as the reducing
agent. The composites are cycled repeating the loading
reduction cycle involved in the synthesis procedure. X-Ray
Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission
Electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrum, and
Inductively Coupled Plasma Analysis are effectively
utilized to investigate the different structural characteristics
of the nanocomposites. The hysteresis loop parameters
namely saturation magnetization and coercivity are measured
using Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The thermomagnetization
study is also conducted to evaluate the
Curie temperature values of the composites. The effect of
cycling on the structural and magnetic characteristics of the
two composites are dealt in detail. A comparison between
the different characteristics of the two nanocomposites is
also provided