Nickel Nanoparticles Loaded in Smart Crosslinked Organic Polymer Microgels/Hydrogels: A Review

The unique mixture of smart crosslinked organic polymers and nickel (Ni) nanoparticles (NPs) has gained much attention over the past 10 years. The Ni NPs loaded in crosslinked organic polymers exhibit the properties of Ni NPs as well as smart crosslinked organic polymers. This review article describes the recent research developments in the fields of synthesis, classification, characterization techniques and stimulus-responsive behavior of Ni nanoparticles loaded in crosslinked organic polymers. The unique combination of Ni nanoparticles loaded in crosslinked organic polymers makes these hybrid microgels suitable for different fields such as catalysis, adsorption processes, corrosion resistance and hydrogen fuel production as reported in the literature. Furthermore, the catalytic activity and factors affecting the catalytic efficiency of Ni nanoparticle-loaded systems are described along with other applications in this review article.