Microwave-assisted synthesis of icosahedral nickel nanocrystals

Nickel nanocrystals with icosahedral morphologies have been successfully synthesised using a microwave-assisted irradiation method. Nickel acetylacetonate was used as the metal precursor, while sodium formate and trioctylphosphine oxide were employed as the reducing agent and capping ligands, respectively. The nanocrystals, with a mean diameter of 237 +/- 43 nm, exhibited enhanced ferromagnetic behaviour at room temperature compared to bulk nickel, with coercivities of up to 164 Oe and saturation magnetisation values of up to 46 emu g-1, due to their icosahedral morphologies.