MORPHOLOGY AND THERMAL STUDIES OF NICKEL CARBONATE NANOPARTICLES R.Hepzi Pramila Devamani 1, M.Krishnaveni 2, J.Mercy Jeno Rose 3 1 Assistant Professor, 2,3 M.Sc Students, Post Graduate Department of Physics, V.V.Vanniaperumal College for Women, Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, (India) ABSTRACT Nickel carbonate nanoparticles were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method from nickel chloride and sodium carbonate. The formed nanoparticle is characterized by transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry technique, thermo gravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. The TEM image shows the synthesized nickel carbonate show well crystallized particles with spherical morphology. From the TEM image average nanoparticle size, standard deviation can be calculated. The d spacing can be calculated from SAED pattern. From DSC measurements the quantitative and qualitative information about physical and chemical changes that include endothermic/exothermic processes or changes in heat capacity can be studied.. From TGA curve, the decomposition due to mass loss is observed. Keywords: DSC, Morphology, SAED, TEM, TGA-DTA. I. INTRODUCTION Since the innovation of nanochemistry in past decades, numbers of materials in nanoscale have been synthesized via many methods. Nanomaterials have been widely used in various fields, such as photoelectric, recording materials, catalysts, sensors, ceramic materials, etc., due to their special structures and properties [1]. This work reports the synthesis of nickel carbonate nanoparticles by chemical co-precipitation method using nickel chloride and sodium carbonate and their characterization such as TEM, DSC and TGA-DTA. Nickel carbonate is used to prepare nickel catalysts and several specialty compounds of nickel. It also is used as a neutralizing agent in nickel plating solutions. Other applications are in coloring glass and in the manufacture of ceramic pigments. These applications can be enhanced by decreasing the particle size and are highly dependent on particle size; the precise control of the size and distribution in a nanometer region is required. II. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS Nanoparticles of nickel carbonate were prepared by chemical co-precipitation method by adding nickel chloride and sodium carbonate. Precise amounts of reagents taking into account their purity were weighed and dissolved separately in distilled water into 0.1M concentration. After obtaining a homogeneous solution, the reagents were mixed using magnetic stirring. The precipitate was separated from the reaction mixture and washed several times with distilled water and ethanol. The wet precipitate was dried and thoroughly ground using agate mortar to obtain the samples in the form of fine powder. 85 P a g e
Frequency III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1. TEM Analysis Fig.1 shows the TEM images of the synthesized nickel carbonate nanoparticles. The TEM images show the spherical morphology of nickel carbonate nanoparticles. The size distribution histogram of fig.1d is shown in fig.2. The size distribution histogram for nickel carbonate nanoparticles shows the average particle size is 2.3±2.8nm. The standard deviation is 2.8nm. Fig.1 TEM images of nickel carbonate nanoparticles 140 _B 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Diameter(nm) Data: Graph1_Counts1 Model: Gauss Chi^2 = 17.99258 R^2 = 0.98647 y0 0 ±0 xc -2.28374 ±7.85684 w 5.77491 ±3.40914 A 6346.45145 ±23388.38388 Fig.2. The size distribution histogram for nickel carbonate nanoparticles The SAED pattern of nickel carbonate nanoparticles is shown in fig.3. It shows the particles are crystallized. By indexing the SAED pattern the d spacing of nickel carbonate nanoparticles is found to be 3.76nm and 1.5770nm which matches with the data in JCPDS file 12-0276 which shows the diffraction rings on SAED pattern matches with the XRD pattern [2]. 86 P a g e
Fig.3. The SAED pattern of nickel carbonate nanoparticles 3.2. DSC Analysis The thermal analysis of the nickel carbonate nanoparticles have been investigated using DSC analysis over a temperature of 30-300 0 C. Fig.4 shows the DSC curve of nickel carbonate nanoparticles. The melting point can be determined from the melting curve with pure substances; the melting point corresponds to the onset. Impure samples often show several peaks. Substances with eutectic impurities exhibit two peaks; first the eutectic peak whose size is proportional to the amount of impurity and then the main melting point. It is due to the existence of many different sizes of particles, as the particle size increased the melting point increases. Table.1 Thermal data in DSC curve of nickel carbonate nanoparticles Sample/Properties Nickel carbonate nanoparticles Low temperature endothermic peak High temperature endothermic peak Quantity 6.937mg 6.937mg Heating Rate 10 0 C/min 10 0 C/min Onset 61.08 0 C 244.79 0 C Peak 99.77 0 C 268.1 0 C Endset 137.88 0 C 292.9 0 C The downward movement of the peak in DSC heating curve indicates that the peak is endothermic peak. A low temperature endothermic peak at 61.08 0 C is due to the impurity and a high temperature endothermic peak at 244.79 0 C in a DSC heating curve is a melting peak. The thermal data in DSC curve of nickel carbonate nanoparticles are shown in table.1. 87 P a g e
Fig.4. DSC curve of nickel carbonate nanoparticles 3.3. TGA-DTA Analysis Thermal analysis of nickel carbonate nanoparticles is also carried out by thermogravymetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis. 14.284mg of nickel carbonate nanoparticles at a temperature from 40 C to 830 C at 20 C/minute is analyzed. TGA/DTA thermograms of nickel carbonate nanoparticles are shown in fig.5. Fig.5. TGA/DTA thermograms of nickel carbonate nanoparticles The thermal analysis data of nickel carbonate nanoparticles in DSC and TGA analysis are shown in table.2. The total weight loss is 24% [3]. The descending TGA thermal curve indicates a weight loss occurred. The TGA curve represents the multi stage decomposition of the sample [4]. The area in the DTA curve is 1419.215mJ and 88 P a g e
ΔH value is 99.3585J/g and the peak is 271.93 C. The two peaks in TGA curve are 90.01 C and 269.18 C indicates the decomposition of the sample in two stages. Table.2.The thermal analysis data of nickel carbonate nanoparticles Material TGA DSC peak DTA weight loss Total Weight temperature ( 0 C) temperature ( 0 C) (%) Loss(%) (40 C to 830 C) Nickel 90.01 99.77 13.2 24.4 carbonate nanoparticles 269.18 268.1 11.2 IV. CONCLUSIONS The nickel carbonate nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. TEM analysis suggests that the average particle size is 2.3±2.8nm, the standard deviation is 2.8nm and the diffraction rings on SAED pattern matches with the XRD pattern. The DSC curve shows the melting peak. The TGA curve represents the decomposition of the sample in multi stage. REFERENCES [1]. M. Nowsath Rifaya, T. Theivasanthi and M. Alagar, Chemical Capping Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles and their Characterizations Studies, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 2(5), 2012, 134-138. [2]. R.Hepzi Pramila Devamani, R.Yuvana and G.Vasantha, Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel Carbonate Nanoparticles, Review of Research, 4(6), 2015. [3]. T.Theivasanthi, N. Kartheeswari and M. Alagar, Chemical Precipitation Synthesis of Ferric Chloride Doped Zinc Sulphide Nanoparticles and Their Characterization Studies, Chemical Science Transactions, 2(2), 2013, 497-507. [4]. Tiverios C. Vaimakis, Thermogravimetric Analysis. 89 P a g e