Synthesis of Nickel Phosphate Using Self Templated Method

Abstract

Nickel phosphate has diverse applications, such as in glucose sensors, catalysts, and supercapacitors. Different synthesis methods affect its structure and properties, characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Metal phosphates have high ion conductivity, chemical stability, and unique 1D nanostructures. Self-templating techniques, like templating against colloidal particles, create hollow 1D metal phosphate structures, determined by the template size. Materials including triethyl phosphate and ethanol, were used in a self templated method to synthesize different forms of nickel phosphate with varying triethyl phosphate volumes, resulting in products labelled as nickel phosphate-500, nickel phosphate-800, and nickel phosphate-1000. The observation under SEM showed that microflower structures are formed while the XRD analysis revealed that the nickel phosphate material had an amorphous structure with randomly arranged particles, evident from the single broad peak in the XRD patterns. The current response showed that nickel phosphate-500 exhibited the highest reading with the value of 0.2 mA compared to the other two nickel phosphates.