NICKEL POWDER, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND CONDUCTIVE PASTE

It is an object of the present invention to provide a nickel powder which is fine, has a narrow particle size distribution, and has a low content or deposit of impurities, such as carbon. It is a further obj ect of the present invention to provide a conductive paste which uses the nickel powder. To achieve these objects, a method of producing a nickel powder in which a reaction solution comprising a nickel salt, a polyol and a noble metal catalyst is heated to a reduction temperature is employed. In the method, nickel ion in the reaction solution are reduced while keeping the reduction temperature, wherein the reduction temperature is from 150 to 210 deg. C, and is 150 to 10 deg. C lower than a boiling point of the polyol. A method of producing a nickel powder is employed in which the reaction solution further comprises a dispersing agent. In addition, a nickel powder produced by the above described method and a conductive paste which contains the nickel powder are provided.