Nickel Monoboride, NiB

Nickel Monoboride, NiB, is obtained as brilliant prisms of density 7.39, by heating nickel and boron in an electric furnace. It is decomposed upon fusion with alkali.

By heating mixtures of nickel and boron in a current of hydrogen at 1100-1200° C., du Jassonneix has prepared two borides of nickel, namely, the Sub-boride, Ni₂B, and the Diboride, NiB₂. The former yields small, slender, yellow acicular crystals of density 8.0 at 20° C. These are slightly oxidised by moist air, but are violently attacked by nitric acid. Indications have been obtained of the formation of a sesquiboride, Ni₂B₃.