Synthesis and characterization of nickel coated by zinc oxide: Bifunctional magnetic-optical nanocomposites

Ni/ZnO nanocomposites with core-shell structure are successfully presented by a facile and low-temperature method. The samples have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, photoluminescence and vibrating sample magnetometer. The photoluminescence spectra exhibit two emission peaks around 380-390 nm and 510 nm, respectively. Compared with that of Ni nanoparticles, the saturation magnetization of the sample decrease obviously.