What Are The Properties Of Nickel(II) Oxide?
Nickel(II) oxide is a chemical compound with the formula NiO. It is a black, insoluble solid that is highly refractory and has a high melting point of 1984°C. It is a basic oxide and reacts with acids to form salts.
NiO has a face-centered cubic crystal structure and is paramagnetic. The magnetic moment arises from the unpaired electrons in nickel(II) ions. It also exhibits semiconducting behavior, with a bandgap of approximately 3.5 eV.
NiO is stable in air and does not react with oxygen at room temperature. However, it can be reduced to metallic nickel by hydrogen or carbon monoxide at high temperatures. It can also be oxidized back to nickel(II) oxide by heating it in air.
In terms of applications, NiO is used as a pigment, a catalyst, and a sintering aid in the production of ceramics. It also has potential uses in battery electrodes, gas sensors, and electrochromic devices.