Synthesis of well-dispersed NiO nanoparticles with a room temperature ionic liquid

NiO nanoparticles have been prepared in a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)). The morphology and microstructures of the NiO nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The TEM micrographs indicated that the nanoparticles are uniform hexagons and well-dispersed. From the XRD patterns, the nanoparticles could be identified as cubic phase. In the reaction, bmimBF(4) is likely to act as a stabilizer and as a template, controlling the dispersion and morphology of the product.