The hydrothermal synthesis of nickel oxide in the presence of triethanolamine was studied. Furthermore, the relationship between the synthesis conditions, thermal behavior, crystal structure features, phase composition and microstructure of semi-products, and the target oxide nanopowders was established. The thermal behavior of the semi-products was studied using a simultaneous thermal analysis (in particular, using one that involved thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, TGA/DSC). An X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that varying the triethanolamine and nickel chloride concentration in the reaction system can govern the formation of α- and β-Ni(OH)2-based semi-products that contain Ni(HCO3)2 or Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 as additional components. The set of functional groups in the powders was determined using a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis. Using microextrusion printing, a composite NiO-(CeO2)0.80(Sm2O3)0.20 anode film was fabricated. Using XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses, it was demonstrated that the crystal structure, dispersity, and microstructure character of the obtained material correspond to the initial nanopowders. Using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM), the local electrophysical properties of the printed composite film were examined. The value of its conductivity was evaluated using the four-probe method on a direct current in the temperature range of 300-650 °C. The activation energy for the 500-650 °C region, which is of most interest in the context of intermediate-temperature SOFCs working temperatures, has been estimated.
Keywords: NiO; SDC; SOFC; electrode; functional inks; hierarchical structures; hydrothermal synthesis; microextrusion printing; nanosheets; nanospheres.