Surfactant Assisted Sol-Gel Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanostructures

This paper aims to find various ways to maximize the potential of nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructures which is produced via simple route method. The morphology of the NiO nanostructures was modified by adding surfactants such as Tween 80, SDS and CTAB. The effect on the morphology and optical property of the type and amount of the surfactant used were determined. The synthesized nanostructures were compared in terms of its shape, uniformity and size. SEM images revealed that the morphologies were altered by simply adding and adjusting the amount of surfactant such as CTAB, Tween 80 and SDS on to the solution. Nanocubic, nanospheres and nanoblades were produced using CTAB, Tween 80 and SDS respectively. XRD confirmed the presence of oxide and hdroxides of nickel on the produced product. The effects on the morphology of the NiO upon adding surfactant could give a good impact in different applications such as electrode, catalysts and gas sensors.