Synthesis of Nickel Nanoparticles by the Reduction of Its Salts Using the Modified Polyol Method in the Presence of Sodium Polyacrylates with Various Molecular Weights

Nickel nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction of its salts by hydrazine hydrate in a polyol medium in the presence of sodium polyacrylates with molecular weights of 1200, 5100, and 8000. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The effect of the synthesis conditions, such as temperature, molecular weight of sodium polyacrylate, and polyol and precursor types, on the reduction products were studied. It was shown that the average particle sizes, their aggregation and polydispersity degrees increase as the polymer molecular weight increases.