A nickel alloy is a metal that contains a certain percentage of nickel in its elemental composition. Nickel is primarily alloyed with chromium, copper, iron, titanium, and molybdenum. For example, Inconel® has excellent corrosion, oxidation, and high-temperature resistance. Most nickel alloys have good corrosion, oxidation, and high-temperature strength properties, but there are some exceptions. Nickel-iron alloys do not have the same level of corrosion and oxidation resistance. Nickel alloys are often used in extreme working environments, such as those encountered in the aerospace, chemical processing, and petroleum industries, but can also be used in electrical and electronic applications.
This article will explain what nickel alloys are, their uses, the characteristics and physical properties of nickel alloys, and different types of nickel alloys and their uses.
What is a nickel alloy?
A nickel alloy is a metal that has nickel as one of the main elements. Some types of nickel alloys are called superalloys because of their excellent oxidation and creep resistance and can be used at temperatures above half of their melting point. Nickel alloys can be machined and welded, but often present some processing difficulties because some alloys harden during machining and their high melting points can make them difficult to weld.
How Nickel Alloys Are Made
Nickel alloys are usually made from a mixture of multiple metals and nickel. Not all metals combine effectively with nickel, though. Some of the most common elements that can alloy with nickel are iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and titanium (Ti). These elements can be combined to create alloys with different properties. For example, nickel, iron, molybdenum, and chromium alloys, such as type 316 stainless steel, have excellent corrosion resistance.
The manufacturing process for nickel alloys is the same as for most other metal alloys. The alloying elements must be selected and their proportions confirmed. Next, all the elements are melted together, for example, in an electric arc furnace. During the smelting process, the alloy is also purified. The nickel alloy is then cast into ingots and then formed using either cold working or hot working techniques.