Synthesis and characterization of amorphous α-nickel hydroxide

Amorphous α-nickel hydroxide was successfully synthesized by rapid freezing micro-emulsion precipitation method. The structure and property of the amorphous α-nickel hydroxide were characterized by XRD, TEM, IR, Raman spectra, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results of the IR spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis indicate that the amorphous α-nickel hydroxide contains water molecules and anions. Raman spectrum displays more peaks, indicating the highly disordered feature of the amorphous α-nickel hydroxide. Cyclic voltammogram and charge/discharge tests show that the amorphous α-nickel hydroxide in alkaline media has a relatively high discharge capacity (350 mAh g−1) and good structural stability, which indicates its potential application as an electrode material for secondary alkaline batteries.