Introduction
Nickel (Ni) is a chemical element that belongs to the tenth group and the fourth period of the periodic table. The atomic number of nickel is 28, whereas its atomic mass is approximately 58.71 grams per mole. Nickel is a tough, gray metal. It is flexible and can be beaten into thin panes or pulled into thin wires. The existence of four electrons in the outmost shell makes nickel a good conductor of heat and electricity. The melting and boiling points of the metal are 1453 oC and 2913 oC respectively.
Nickel reacts with other elements to form complexes that are mainly blue or green. Dilute acids cause nickel to dissolve leading to the liberation of hydrogen gas. Tiny particles of nickel have the potential to adsorb hydrogen gas thereby making nickel an important catalyst. Other applications of nickel include the manufacture of alloys and super alloys, rechargeable batteries, coins, catalysts, and metal castings (INSG Insight, 2013). Nickel can resist corrosion at extreme temperatures and salinity hence making it a useful material in the production of gas turbines and propeller bars in boats (INSG Insight, 2013).
Recent Research on Nickel
Recent research focuses on the use of nickel in nanotechnology. Nanoparticles have drawn immense attention due to their unique magnetic, optical and electronic traits. Nanoparticles of metals are useful in the making of paints, colors and sensors. Tientong, Garcia, Thurber, and Golden (2014) make use of simplified chemical reactions in the manufacture of nanopowders from nickel as well as nickel hydroxide. Nickel metal is reacted with hydrazine hydrate at an alkaline pH followed by sonication at temperatures between 54 and 65 oC, which triggers a reduction reaction that forms nickel hydroxide nanoparticles whose diameters are between 12 and 14 nanometers (Tientong et al., 2014). Polyvinylpyrrolidone lowers the diameter of the nanoparticles by half. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy are used in the elucidation of the organization of the resultant nanoparticles.
Roselina, Azizan, Hyie, Jumahat, and Bakar investigate the influence of pH on the development of nickel nanostructures in the chemical reduction technique (2013). Hydrazine is used as a reducing agent while ethylene glycol is employed as a surfactant at a temperature of 60 oC (Roselina et al., 2013). Conversely, varying quantities of sodium hydroxide are used to monitor the pH of the reacting mixture. The structure of the nanoparticles formed under various pH conditions is studied using electron microscopy. It is revealed that altering the proportions of sodium hydroxide leads to variations in the sizes of the nanoparticles from 20 nanometers to 800 nanometers. In addition, raising the pH from 6 to 12 causes the development of nanostructures whose texture resembles wool. Pure nickel nanoparticles are created when the ratio of hydroxide and nickel ions is greater than four (Roselina et al., 2013).
A separate study by Jovalekić, Nikolić, Gruden-Pavlović and Pavlović (2012) looks into the magnetic properties of two nickel alloys namely nickel ferrite and zinc nickel ferrite. The “classic sintering” technique and the “planetary mill synthesis” methods are used to manufacture these ferrites (Jovalekić et al., 2012, p. 499). Electron microscopy (scanning and transmission) is used to monitor the progress of the reaction. The electromagnetic radiation coefficients are then computed from measured values of permittivity as well as permeability. The study deduces that the preparation methods and the ultimate particle size influence the properties of the resultant ferrites (Jovalekić et al., 2012).
Conclusion
It is evident that nickel is a versatile element that can be used in the development of novel compounds with unique properties. Therefore, a delicate balance between chemical and environmental conditions is necessary to ensure that nickel compounds with the right attributes are formed.
References
INSG Insight. (2013). Nickel-based super alloys. Web.
Jovalekić, C., Nikolić, A. S., Gruden-Pavlović, M. & Pavlović, M. B. (2012).Mechano–chemical synthesis of stoichiometric nickel and nickel–zinc ferrite powders with Nicolson–Ross analysis of the absorption coefficients. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society, 77 (4), 497–505.
Roselina, N. R. N., Azizan, A., Hyie, K. M., Jumahat, A., & Bakar M. A. (2013). Effect of pH on formation of nickel nanostructures through chemical reduction method. Procedia Engineering, 68 (2013), 43–48.
Tientong, J., Garcia, S., Thurber, C. R., & Golden, T. D. (2014). Synthesis of nickel and nickel hydroxide nanopowders by simplified chemical reduction. Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014(2014), 1-6.