Patent ID: 7819939

Claim:
A method of making a nickel powder having an average particle size of less than 100 nanometers, comprising contacting, at a temperature of about 50° C. to about 95° C., a reduction solution with a nickel solution to form a reaction mixture and initiate a reaction, a. wherein the reduction solution comprises i. a base providing OH ions, and ii. a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of hydrazine, sodium borohydride, potassium borohydride, lithium aluminum hydride, b. wherein the nickel solution excludes alcohol and glycol and comprises i. water, ii. a nucleation agent, iii. a surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, C 16 H 33 (OCH 2 CH 2 )OH, and gum arabic, iv. a nickel compound selected from the group consisting of nickel acetate, nickel chloride, nickel sulfate, and nickel acetylacetonate said nickel compound providing nickel ions to the nickel solution at a concentration of from 0.5 to 1.5 M, c. wherein the mole ratio of OH ions to nickel ions is 1:1 to 2.5:1, d. wherein the mole ratio of reducing agent to nickel ions is from 1.5:1 to 8:1, and e. wherein the reaction runs to completion in no greater than 30 minutes.