In situ synthesis of Ni nanofibers via vacuum thermal reduction and their efficient catalytic properties for hydrogen generation

Simple, safe and economic methods to prepare Ni nanofibers are required for their practical application. Herein, an in situ vacuum thermal reduction strategy is proposed to synthesize Ni nanofibers on a large scale, which involves electrospinning of a nickel acetate/polyvinylpolypyrrolidone/ethyl cellulose (NiAc/PVP/EC) precursor solution, followed by vacuum thermal treatment. Characterization of the morphology and microstructure reveals that the as-prepared Ni nanofibers are composed of nano-size Ni grains and possess a large surface area. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the content of EC is closely related to the size of Ni grains and thus the surface area of Ni nanofibers. On account of their high specific surface area, the as-prepared Ni nanofibers exhibit efficient catalytic properties for H2 generation from hydrous hydrazine in an alkaline solution.