Urchin-Like Amorphous Ni2B Alloys: Efficient Antibacterial Materials and Catalysts for Hydrous Hydrazine Decomposition to Produce H2

Urchin-like amorphous Ni2B alloys were successfully prepared for the first time from a mixture of Ni(NH3)6(2+) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via a solution plasma process (SPP). The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), selected-area electron diffraction patterns (SAED) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. In the performance test, the obtained Ni-B urchins showed great antibacterial activities, comparable with those of amikacin and kanamycin, especially towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Meanwhile, the magnetic properties of Ni-B urchins are enhanced in comparison with those of conventional Ni-B. During hydrous hydrazine (N2H4) decomposition, the dehydrogenation performance of Ni-B urchins is superior to those of Raney Ni and conventional Ni-B. The enhanced catalytic performance of Ni-B urchins is attributed to their high surface area of active species nickel and the enhanced intrinsic activity resulting from their unique structure.