Synthesis of hexagonal close-packed nanocrystalline nickel by a thermal reduction process

Hexagonal close-packed nickel has been synthesized through reduction of nickel chloride by KBH4 in ethylenediamine at 300 °C. X-ray powder diffraction and selected-area electron diffraction showed that the as-prepared samples were nickel with a hexagonal close-packed structure. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the products were nanoclusters, which consist of nickel nanoparticles. The magnetic coercivity of the hcp nanocrystalline nickel is as high as 94.3 Oe.