On the existence of a nickel hydroxide phase which is neither α nor β

A novel phase of nickel hydroxide with an average interlayer spacing 5.4–5.6 Å has been synthesized which is neither α nor β type but is an interstratification of both. It ages to the β form in strong alkali. These observations have implications on the dissolution–reprecipitation mechanism suggested for the α→β transformation of nickel hydroxide.