Preparation of Submicro-porous Nickel Wafers by Molding-Decomposition-Sintering Method Using Nickel Oxalate Nano-Rods as Precursors

Submicro-porous nickel wafers were prepared by a molding-decomposition-sintering method, using nickel oxalate nano-rods synthesized via a liquid phase precipitation process as precursors, keeping the decomposition temperature of 360 °C for 10 min, and sintering temperature of 420, 450, 480 and 510 °C for 10 min, in a tubular oven filled with Ar gas. The study of Infrared spectroscopy (IR) indicates that the as-prepared precursor was pure nickel oxalate. The results of X-ray diffractions (XRD) indicate that the as-treated grey wafers were nickel, which has face-centered cubic crystal structure. The images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) show that the morphology of metal nickel wafers exhibit an obvious porous structure. The structure of pores is irregular with 100∼1000 nm in diameter, and the pore walls are composed of fiber-like nickel with 100∼300 nm in diameter.