Abstract

Nanocomposites of nickel(II) oxide in a polyimine matrix have been synthesized by a very simple method. The nickel oxide nanoparticles were precipitated in situ within the polymer matrix by drying a polymer–metal complex under mild conditions, without the need for any basic or oxidizing treatment. The polymer–metal complex results from suspending the polymer in a solution of the metal. The size distribution of the nickel oxide nanoparticles contained in the composite shows two different populations with average sizes 12 and 33 nm, respectively. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of the materials reveal the presence of two contributions to the magnetic system. The first has paramagnetic character and arises from the metal-organic matrix. The second consists of frequency-dependent maxima that are typical of superparamagnetic behavior and is related to the presence of nickel oxide nanoparticles.