Preparation and magnetic properties of nickel nanowires by reduction in ethylene glycol medium under the influence of magnetic field

Nickel nanowires have successfully been fabricated through a simple liquid reduction in ethylene glycol medium with a 0.3T magnetic field applied. The effect of uniform magnetic field and solvent on the morphology and the crystal structure of magnetic nickel were studied. Scanning electron microscope images and transmission electron scope images s how that the effect of the external magnetic field on the morphology of nickel nanowires. X-ray diffraction shows the crystal structure of as-prepared products. And a energy disperse spectroscopy and a vibrating sample magnetometer are used to analyze the composition and static magnetic properties. The results show that the straight wires with an average diameter of about 100 nm and a length of several microns were obtained and mainly composed by fcc structure in the solvent of ethylene glycol. Magnetic measurements show that the saturation magnetization of the as-obtained products in a 0.3 T external magnetic field is 36 emu/g, less than that of bulk nickel crystal, and the coercivity of them is 186 emu/g, larger than that of bulk crystal with the mole ratio of sodium borohydride to nickel sulfate is 1:1000. This kind of nanowires array has potential applications with the special one-dimensional structures. (paper)