Abstract
Mesoporous crystalline nickel oxide (MO) nanoclusters have been synthesized by calcination of polystyrene@Ni(OH)(2) core-shells nanospheres which were prepared by esterification of nickel acetate in ethanol under ultrasonication. The as-synthesized MO nanoclusters containing nanoparticles of 20 similar to 45 nm in diameter are single-crystalline with cubic crystal phase. The observed surface area of as-synthesized NiO nanoclusters is 105.6 m(2)/g having porosity of 74.9%. The effect of calcination on the structural and crystalline properties of NiO nanoclusters is examined with varying the calcination time from 1-3 h. The formation mechanism of NiO nanostructures by esterification is also proposed based on its structural analysis.