Composition-tunable Ni1−xCox nanotubes: Template synthesis, magnetic properties, and catalytic activities for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Ni1−xCox (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanotubes with outer diameters of 180-210 nm were quickly fabricated by a facile template-assisted chemical deposition method. Their microstructures, magnetic properties and catalytic activities for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol were studied. The results showed that the as-obtained boron-doped transition-metals had uniform size, noncrystalline structure and typical hollow tube-like morphologies. The content of Ni and Co in the nanotubes can be easily adjusted by changing the Ni2+/Co2+ ratios in the solution used for the co-deposition process. Except for the similar coercive force (Hc), their saturation magnetization (Ms) and remanent magnetization (Mr) increased with the increase of Co content. In addition, all of the metal nanotubes presented good catalytic performances for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The catalytic efficiencies gradually became better in the order of Ni, NiCo, NiCo2 and Co.