Electron microscope observations on nickel oxide whiskers

Abstract NiO whiskers were grown by heating thin films of NiO single crystal at 1500–1600 °C in air and were examined by means of electron microscopy and electron diffraction. The growth directions were 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 in most cases and occasionally 〈111〉 and 〈211〉. A globule attached at the tip of the whisker was found to be Pt-rich. All the phenomena observed can be interpreted by VLS or DG mechanism.