Thermal decomposition of hydrated salts of Ni(II)-acetate and Ni(II)-lactate

Abstract

The formation and microstructure of thermal decomposition products obtained in air from Ni(II)-acetate tetrahydrate and Ni(II)-lactate tetrahydrate were investigated using XRD, Raman, UV/Vis/NIR and FE-SEM/EDS techniques. The formation of metallic Ni particles was due to the presence of acetate and lactate groups as reducens and with an increase in the heating temperature the reoxidation of Ni particles occurred. Crystallite sizes of Ni and NiO particles were in nanosize range and with increasing heating temperature the crystallite size of NiO particles was growing. The Raman spectra depended on the microstructure of NiO particles. Raman spectrum features of NiO were temperature dependent. UV/Vis/NIR spectra also showed a certain dependence on the microstructure of NiO samples. The crystal growth of NiO particles and the sintering effect were pronounced at the highest heating temperature.