Hydrothermal synthesis of β-Ni(OH)2 platelets and their thermal conversion to NiO

The β-Ni(OH)2 platelets and nanorods with length ranging from 2 to 6 μm have been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method, and no templates or additives were employed. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The dosage of sodium hydroxide and temperature were found to play important roles in controlling the size and morphology of β-Ni(OH)2. The shape of β-Ni(OH)2 platelets was successfully sustained during the thermal transformation to NiO. Optical property of the NiO platelets was investigated by means of UV–Vis spectrum, exhibiting small red shift compared to the bulk counterpart. Such β-Ni(OH)2 and NiO microstructures may find potential applications in micro/nano-devices.