growth is the dominant process resulting in a precipitate characterized by a small number of larger particles when the degree of supersaturation is greater than point 34 x 34 nucleation is the dominant process resulting in a large number of smaller particles hence the nature of the precipitate can be controlled by controlling the degree of supersaturation as discussed above a preferred way of cycling the supersaturation is to change the ph of the solution increasing the ph increases the supersaturation of the reaction mixture at higher ph values the nickel hydroxide precipitation is in the 34 nucleation regime 34 whereby the ratio of the nucleation rate to growth rate is high in this regime precipitation predominately forms many small crystallite nuclei and little crystalline growth on the nuclei occurs on the other hand decreasing the ph decreases the supersaturation of the reaction mixture at lower ph values the precipitation is in the so called 34 growth 34 regime whereby the ratio of nucleation rate to particle growth rate is low in this regime few nuclei are formed and precipitation predominately causes growth of the previously formed crystallite nuclei hence as the ph of the precipitation reaction mixture is cycled cycling also occurs between the growth phase and nucleation phase of the reaction continuum causing continuous variation in the ratio of the nucleation rate relative to the growth rate of the forming nickel hydroxide particles while not wishing to be bound by theory it is believed that this continuous variation in the relative rates of nucleation and growth creates internal imperfection and disorder and imparts the unique microstructure and macrostructure of the nickel hydroxide material of the present invention u s pat no 5 788 943 the 34 943 34 patent discloses a.