Sustainable Synthesis of NiO Nanoflowers: a Low-Cost Hydrothermal Strategy without Autoclave
摘要
In this paper, flower-like nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructures were synthesized successfully by a green and cost-effective hydrothermal method. The approach therefore constitutes a hydrothermal-like green process using ordinary laboratory glassware instead of conventional autoclaves. The structural characterization confirmed the existence of a cubic phase of NiO with crystallite average sizes ranging from 41.80 to 89.07 nm, depending on the annealing temperature. Morphological analysis by SEM revealed well-aligned nanoflowers at 300–400 °C, while high-temperature heating led to the deterioration of the hierarchical structure. Raman spectra confirmed the vibrational modes of NiO, and magnetic measurements revealed weak ferromagnetic behavior that was consistent with superparamagnetic properties. These findings are indicative of the potential of flower-like NiO for application in environmental remediation and gas sensing devices.