Production of nickel nanoparticles from a nickel precursor via laser pyrolysis

Abstract

The present invention discloses a process for producing nickel nanoparticles. The process involves heating a nickel precursor generated in situ in the presence of a carrier gas under conditions effective to decompose the nickel precursor and produce nickel nanoparticles.

1 . A process for producing nickel nanoparticles comprising: 
 heating a nickel precursor generated in situ in the presence of a carrier gas under conditions effective to decompose the nickel precursor and produce nickel nanoparticles.    
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said nickel precursor is Ni(CO) 4 .  
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein said nickel precursor is generated by reacting activated nickel and carbon monoxide.  
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said activated nickel is generated by heating nickel powder in the presence of hydrogen under conditions effective to remove oxide on the nickel surface.  
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating comprises heating by a directed energy source.  
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said directed energy source is laser.  
   
   
       7 . The process according to  claim 6 , wherein said laser is a CO 2  laser.  
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating is carried out in the presence of a photosensitizer.  
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting of sulfur hexafluoride, ethylene, silicon tetrafluoride, and ammonia.  
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, hydrogen, argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 collecting the produced nickel nanoparticles on a filter.    
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the filter is a cellulose nitrate membrane filter, a cellulose acetate filter, a polyvinylidene fluoride filter, a polytetrafluoroethylene filter, a nylon filter, or a polypropylene filter.  
   
   
       13 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 collecting the produced nickel nanoparticles into a solution comprising a solvent.    
   
   
       14 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, octane, and decane.  
   
   
       15 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the solution further comprises a surfactant.  
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of oleylamine, oleic acid, hexadecylamine, and hexadecanoic acid.  
   
   
       17 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the nickel nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 50 nm.  
   
   
       18 . The process according to  claim 17 , wherein the nickel nanoparticles have an average diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 nm.