Electroless polyol synthesis and properties of nanostructured NixCo100-x films

A non-aqueous, electroless, polyol process was used to deposit nanostructur ed NixCo100-x films on Cu substrates by reducing nickel acetate and cobalt acetate in refluxing ethylene glycol at 194 degreesC for 1 h, as-deposited films were characterized using X-raf diffraction (XRD), scanning electron m icroscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). microhardness and mic roscratch tests. The films had a (111) texture and the average crystallite size increased with x from 15 to 63 nm. The films show in-plane magnetizati on anisotropy. Saturation magnetization (M-s) increased with increasing Co concentration and reached 1421 emu/cm(3) for Co-100. The perpendicular coer civity (H-c perpendicular to) was higher than that in-plane (Hc//). The Ni5 0Co50 film had the highest H-c perpendicular to and microhardness compared to other films of different compositions. The critical load fur delaminatio n increased with x and was independent of him thickness;. In this polyol pr ocess film deposition on the substrate competed with undesirable powder pre cipitation in the solution. Lowering the reaction temperature did not favor film deposition. However, film deposition occurred when an electric field was applied during the reaction at temperature as low as 100 degreesC. Prec ipitation of colloidal particles persisted at this low temperature in a dif ferent dial. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.