A facile and novel synthetic route to Ni(OH)2 nanoflowers

Ni(OH)2 nanoflowers with thin nanosheets as building blocks were synthesized using a homogeneous precipitation method with NH4F as a complexing agent and a NH4OH solution as an OH− supplier in an aqueous NiCl2 solution. A series of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscope, and UV–Vis spectroscopy, was used to characterize the nanoflowers. Investigations on the formation process of the flowers indicated that NH4F is vital to the formation of the special flower-like microstructures.