Magnetic properties of Ni/NiO nanocomposites synthesized by one step solution combustion method

•Solution combustion method could be effectively used in synthesizing Ni/NiO nanocompistes.•Ni or NiO content can be varied using HNO3 used in the combustion reaction.•A feeble exchange bias could be observed in Ni/NiO nanocomopsites.

Ni/NiO nanocomposites were synthesized using solution combustion method and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen (CHN) analyser. The Ni or NiO content in Ni/NiO nanocomposites vary with the quantity of HNO3 used for the synthesis. Magnetic coercivity (Hc) of Ni/NiO nanocomposites is found to be 413 Oe which can be used in magnetic applications. A feeble exchange bias of 7 Oe is seen from the NiO rich Ni/NiO.