nickel and copper

Nickel is a metallic element with the symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a hard, lustrous metal that has important industrial uses. Nickel belongs to the metals and metalloids group and is found in nickel-iron ores together with its congeners. The main ore minerals for nickel are halloysite, limonite, goethite, and pyrrhotine or pyrrhotite. In addition to its use as an industrial metal, Nickel is found in many different types of natural objects including soils, air, plants, animals and volcanoes. In nature, nickel occurs primarily as pentavalent Ni(CO3) ions in hydrothermal deposits which are associated with carbon rich minerals such as pyrophyllite and lateritic nickel sulfides such as covellite (SEDE: Sulfide Deposition). These deposits are often referred to as “nickel deposits”. Nickel ore can be oxidized using hydrogen or chlorine into nickel chloride (NiCl2) which can then be reduced using sodium borohydride into nickeline (NiBH4). Other methods for liberating Ni from its ore include smelting and roasting or subliming it at high temperatures. Nickel has been known since ancient times but it was not used as a metal until the Industrial Revolution when it was discovered that pure nickel was ductile enough to be rolled into wire for electrical contacts. Today almost 90

Properties of nickel

In contrast to copper, nickel has a higher melting point and is less malleable. Nickel also has a very high tensile strength, but is more brittle than copper. Nickel is widely used in industries such as manufacturing, engineering, and construction. Most applications of nickel exploit its high corrosion resistance, resistance to wear-and-tear, or its catalytic properties.

Nickel in nature

Natural nickel is primarily found as free elemental nickel in sulfide ore deposits. Nickel forms one of the major group of sulfides with iron, copper, and arsenic. This group of sulfides is known as the pentavalent clays (SEDE: Sulfides Deposition). The compounds are nickel-iron oxides such as goethite and limonite and nickel-sulfur oxides such as pyrrhotite. Furthermore, nickel forms lateritic nickel sulfides such as covellite which are often referred to as “nickel deposits”.

What are some uses of nickel?

Nickel finds use in many industries as a valuable metal. Some of the most common applications for nickel are in electronic components, for example semiconductors, and other forms of electrical conductors such as wires and cables. These materials are typically made from nickel-plated steel wire wrapped around an insulating material, typically plastic or ceramic fiber. Nickel is also used in the plating of other metals to prevent corrosion and increase durability.
Nickel is also used in industrial alloys, including stainless steel and nickel-chromium alloys which find widespread use in jewelry-making (particularly watchbands) and cutlery. Additionally, it is often alloyed with other metals to make magnetic alloys that have properties such as high corrosion resistance or strength at cryogenic temperatures. In nature, nickel occurs primarily as pentavalent Ni(CO3) ions in hydrothermal deposits which are associated with carbon rich minerals such as pyrophyllite and lateritic nickel sulfides such as covellite (SEDE: Sulfide Deposition).

Ni-alloyed steel

Nickel and copper are often mixed in steel, called nickel-copper alloys. In these alloys, the mass ratio of nickel to copper ranges from 8:1 to 1:8. The most common alloying elements in this group are manganese, chromium and iron. Nickel is a hard, durable and ductile metal that is corrosion resistant as well as being magnetic and malleable.

Ni-based super alloys

Nickel-Base super alloys are a group of alloys that contain both nickel and iron, including NiTi and Ni-based superalloy alloys. These alloys have very high thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, strength and toughness, as well as good magnetic properties. Today nearly 90% of the earth’s supply of nickel is used in nickel-base superalloys.

Ni-base super alloy – 5xxx series: 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series

Nickel-base superalloys are a group of nickel and copper alloys that are used in the aerospace industry for structural parts, turbine blades, and other components. The main use of these superalloys is in high-stress applications requiring extreme strength or corrosion resistance. Superalloys with the highest level of nickel content are referred to as “Ni-base” superalloys. The 5xxx series is the most widely produced of the Ni-base superalloys and contains nickel and cobalt. The 5xxx series includes Altene 500 (5xxx10), Altene 600 (5xxx20), Altene 650 (5xxx30) and Altene 700 (5xxx40). The 6xxx series includes A106XN (6xxx10), A200XN (6xxx20), A203XN (6xxx30) and A204XN (6xxx40). The 7xxx series includes A207XMn7TeB2TiV2ZrV3AlC2CuFeMnMoY2ZrV3AlC3FeMnMoY3ZrV4AlC4FeMnMoY4ZrW8CoCrNi: 6062T52, 6463T52, A582T65, AS3935T80

Ni-base super alloy – 8xxx series: 8xxx and 9xxx series

Niobium-titanium alloys, also known as super alloys, are commercially available. They combine high strength and toughness with corrosion resistance.

Nb8x5

Ni-base super alloy – 10xxx series: 10xxx, 11xxx and 12xxx series

Nickel-base superalloys are a new class of high-performance, high-temperature alloys made from nickel, chromium and other alloying elements.

The nickel-base super alloys are used in jet engines because they have higher performance than titanium alloys when exposed to the extreme heat encountered during combustion. They can also be used in turbines, electrical contacts, and even as structural materials. They have excellent corrosion resistance which allows them to be used in seawater or brackish environments.

Notes on pronunciation of nickel and its compounds

The pronunciation of nickel as ‘ni-kull’ is not found in any language. It is believed that the word nickel was derived from a reduction of the German word kupfernickel, which means “copper-nickel”.