What is the alloy of copper and nickel called?

Nickel and its alloys

Nickel and its alloys are widely used in industry, due to the special properties of this metal. Nickel alloys have excellent ferromagnetic properties and are perfectly amenable to forging, rolling and stamping.

Nickel and its alloys

Features of nickel and its alloys

Nickel has special characteristics that are highly valued in industrial production. Due to its good ductility, it is easy to produce products of various shapes using cold and hot deformation technologies. At the same time, the weldability of nickel-based alloys is at a high level.

It is worth noting the high resistance of nickel to the aggressive environment of alkaline solutions and other chemicals. It does not react with oxygen under normal conditions, even when heated to temperatures of 800 degrees due to its heat resistance. Its density can vary depending on the presence of gases such as oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, as well as sulfur, iron, silicon, lead, manganese, zinc and other elements.

Nickel interacts well in alloys with most metals due to the property of active catalysis. With its help, you can significantly improve or change the properties of various materials, which allows you to obtain the most valuable products. To date, more than 3,000 alloys using this element are known.

Heat-resistant nickel alloys contain manganese, cobalt, palladium, copper, platinum and iron.

But in addition to alloys based on it, nickel can be used in its pure form. Very often it is used to form anti-corrosion protection. To apply it, they usually use the galvanization or cladding method, which is used to protect iron and steel. Using this method, it is possible to obtain a material that is practically not inferior in properties to pure metal, and at the same time it is possible to significantly reduce the cost of the product. Using the galvanization method, aluminum, cast iron, magnesium and zinc are protected.

Despite its high cost, various instruments and apparatus, as well as crucibles for metallurgy, are very often produced from pure metal. The chemical industry uses tanks, reservoirs and tubes made of this metal, which are used for storing and handling food products, alkaline and other substances.

In the hydrogen production process, it is used as capacitors. It is also worth noting the medical field, where nickel tools and devices are often used.

It should also be noted that it is especially popular in the field of building radio devices and television gadgets. It can be considered indispensable in the nuclear field, since without its use it is impossible to obtain high-precision remote control devices.

Granular nickel is widely used as a catalyst for many chemical reactions involving hydrocarbons, alcohols and aldehydes. They usually replace platinum and palladium, since the properties of this granulated metal are not inferior to those above, and it is cheaper.

Granular NickelNickel Powder

Powdered nickel is also used as an element of filter devices necessary for the purification of gases, fuel liquids and other substances produced by the chemical industry.

Also, such a powder is excellent for the production of alloys, so very often this physical state of the metal is preferred in metallurgy.

Resistance to alkali allows the use of such metal in alkaline batteries as electrodes.

In the steel industry, many types of steel, especially structural steel, are produced with nickel as an alloying component. There is no difference whether it is magnetic, non-magnetic, or heat-resistant nickel alloys.

Nickel is most often used in alloys together with copper. This makes it possible to obtain a material with increased resistance to aggressive environments, especially alkaline, sea water and high humidity. That is why they are widely used in medicine, maritime, chemical and food industries.

Alloys of silver and nickel have interesting properties: when only these two elements are fused, an unstable material is obtained, characterized by brittleness and a predisposition to cracks. But when these alloys are used as alloying elements in alloys based on other metals, corrosion resistance can be significantly increased.

Pure Nickel

In jewelry, its alloy with gold is often used. It produces durable jewelry, which is characterized by a white color. But some people have an allergic reaction to such products.

Also, nickel in its pure form and as part of alloys is often used for the production of heating elements and devices.

Copper alloys

The combination of nickel and copper is quite widely used to produce materials with properties different from those of pure metals.

Today, the most widely used copper alloys are:

• monel;
• cupronickel;
• nickel silver.

When producing Monel, nickel is used as the main component, the amount of which in the alloy should be about 67%. Monel is characterized by high strength, exceeding the characteristics of most types of steel, which is why this alloy has gained wide popularity in aircraft construction, the production of power tools, shipbuilding, and also in the manufacture of musical instruments.

Monel

Cupronickel is an alloy of nickel and copper, the base of which is copper, and the amount of nickel can vary from 5% to 30%. This alloy is used to produce various types of kitchen utensils, cheap jewelry, figurines and other works of art.

It is also easy to meet in everyday life, since most modern coins are made from cupronickel. It is excellent for these purposes, as it is very plastic and lends itself well to pressing. At the same time, it is quite durable and resistant to wear and damage. Cupronickel is resistant to seawater and is used to make many structural and boat parts.

Nickel silver teaspoons

Nickel silver is distinguished by the presence of zinc in its composition. It is quite plastic, but very durable and resistant to corrosion. Used in the production of electrical appliances, cutlery, jewelry, coins and awards.

Alloys with chromium

The alloy of nickel and chromium is widely known and is generally called nichrome. The first alloy using these metals was produced more than a hundred years ago. Such alloys are characterized by high electrical resistance, high melting point, density and heat capacity. They perform well when used at high temperatures.

The cost of this alloy is quite high, but given a number of its advantages, it is justified.

Nichrome is most widely used for:

1. production of electric furnaces intended for annealing and drying;
2. production of high-temperature electrical appliances, for example, electric burners;
3. the need to use manufactured devices or parts in an aggressive chemical environment;
4. the need for product resistance to high temperatures;
5. coating application during gas-thermic spraying;
6. in the production of electronic cigarettes, as a evaporation filament.

Nichrome wire

Nichromes doped with silicon are more resistant to nitrogen mixtures, which is necessary in the chemical industry.

Alloys with iron

An alloy of nickel with iron and chromium is, in some cases, called invar. It is used in quite specific areas. For example, in instrument making for the production of measuring wires needed by surveyors; length standards; as well as most parts of mechanical watches.

Invar

This is due to the fact that such an alloy has a low coefficient of linear expansion even at high temperatures. Therefore, the chronometer balancers and springs are highly reliable and durable. In large wall clocks it is often used to produce a pendulum.

Alloys with molybdenum and other metals

Products made of nickel alloys with the addition of molybdenum in their pure form are practically not used. Chromium is usually added to the alloy composition. Most often the ratio looks like this: 77% nickel, 12% chromium, 3.5% molybdenum, but its maximum content can be about 9%. Such alloys are very strong and tensile.

Due to their properties, they have found application in medicine, where they are used to produce bridges. Working with them is quite difficult; casting using such alloys is almost impossible. But high performance characteristics and relatively low cost made these alloys irreplaceable.

The use of nickel as an alloying component makes it possible to create an alloy with increased corrosion resistance. Therefore, it is used to create an anti-corrosion coating. Moreover, the resulting coating has an attractive appearance. The addition of other metals and materials gives the alloys other, special properties.

In general, today nickel is widely used in industry, rarely in its pure form, usually as a component of various alloys, which allows obtaining the desired properties of materials.

Source: https://stankiexpert.ru/spravochnik/materialovedenie/nikel-i-ego-splavy.html

Copper with nickel alloy name

Nickel is a high-strength ductile metal with a silvery-white color. It was discovered in 1751 by the Swedish chemist Axel Cronstedt. In the periodic table of D.I. Mendeleev it has number 28 and the symbol Ni, the atomic mass is 58.71.

Nickel is a hard and tough metal with ferromagnetic properties. It lends itself well to welding, forging, stamping and rolling. It is stable in chemically active environments, including alkalis. In atmospheric conditions it is covered with a protective oxide film and does not oxidize even at a temperature of 800 ⁰C.

Physical properties of nickel:

• Melting point - 1455 ⁰С.
• Latent heat of fusion - 73 cal/g.
• Boiling point - 2913 ⁰С.
• Latent heat of evaporation - 1450 cal/g.
• Density - 8800 kg/m3.
• The tensile strength of annealed nickel is 4000−5000 MPa.
• The tensile strength of deformed nickel is 7500−9000 MPa.
• The yield strength of annealed nickel is kg/mm2.
• The yield strength of deformed nickel is 70 kg/mm2.
• Thermal conductivity - 90.9 W/(m*K).
• Electrical resistivity - 0.0684 µOhm*m.
• Elastic modulus - 196−210 GPa.
• Modulus of normal elasticity - 20000 kg/mm2.
• Shear modulus - 7300 kg/mm2.
• The hardness of cast nickel is 60−70 kg/mm2.
• The hardness of annealed nickel is 70−90 kg/mm2.
• The hardness of deformed nickel is 200 kg/mm2.

Due to its properties, nickel in its pure form and especially in alloys is widely used in various fields of industry. The metal forms solid solutions with many elements.

Nickel grades and chemical composition

According to GOST 849-2008, 7 grades of nickel are produced - N0, N1Ау, Н1у, Н1, Н2, Н3 and Н4. They contain from 97.6 to 99.99% nickel in total with a small percentage of cobalt (Co) - from 0.005 to 0.7%. The rest of the mass is occupied by impurities:

• Carbon (C) - found in all grades of nickel.
• Magnesium (Mg).
• Aluminum (Al).
• Silicon (Si).
• Phosphorus (P).
• Sulfur (S) - found in all brands.
• Manganese (Mn).
• Iron (Fe).
• Copper (Cu) - found in all brands.
• Zinc (Zn).
• Arsenic (As)
• Cadmium Cd).
• Tin (Sn).
• Antimony (Sb).
• Lead (Pb).
• Bismuth (Bi).

The detailed chemical composition of different grades of nickel is presented in the table below.

Brand	Chemical composition, %
Ni and co, no less	Including Co, no more	Impurities, no more
C	Mg	Al	Si	P	S	Mn	Fe	Cu	Zn	As	Cd	Sn	Sb	Pb	Bi
H0	99,99	0,005	0,005	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,002	0,001	0,0005	0,0005	0,0003	0,0003	0,0003	0,0003	0,0001
H1Ay	99,95	0,1	0,001	0,001	—	0,002	0,001	0,001	—	0,01	0,1	0,001	0,001	0,0006	0,0005	0,0005	0,0005	0,0001
H1y	99,95	0,1	0,01	0,001	—	0,002	0,001	0,001	—	0,01	0,015	0,001	0,001	0,0005	0,0005	0,0005	0,0005	0,0003
H1	99,93	0,1	0,01	0,001	—	0,002	0,001	0,001	—	0,02	0,02	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,001	0,0001	0,001	0,0006
H2	99,8	0,15	0,02	—	—	0,002	—	0,003	—	0,04	0,04	0,005	—	—	—	0,1	—
H3	98,6	0,7	0,1	—	—	—	—	0,03	—	—	0,6	—	—	—	—	—	—
H4	97,6	0,7	0,15	—	—	—	—	0,04	—	—	1,0	—	—	—	—	—	—

The influence of impurities on the properties of the metal

Sulfur is one of the most harmful impurities. It gives nickel red brittleness, due to which the properties of the metal deteriorate during pressure treatment. To neutralize the effect of sulfur, manganese and/or magnesium are added.

Carbon in amounts up to 0.1% does not affect the properties of the metal in any way, however, with a higher content of this element, it falls out of the solid solution during annealing and reduces the ductility of cold nickel.

When the content of bismuth and lead is in an amount of 0.002%, hot metal processing becomes impossible: since these elements are almost insoluble in the solid state, they destroy the ingot. Therefore, in all grades of nickel, the amount of lead and bismuth is limited to 0.001 and 0.0006%, respectively.

Aluminum increases the electrical resistance of nickel. This element is contained in the purest grade - H0. In addition, nickel and aluminum alloys are widely used: they have high heat resistance and corrosion resistance.

Iron does not have a noticeable effect on the properties of nickel. Silicon deoxidizes the base metal, due to which it has a beneficial effect on its casting properties, chemical resistance and strength.

Cobalt increases the heat resistance, heat resistance and strength of nickel, and manganese has a positive effect on the technological and mechanical properties of the metal and improves its electrical resistance.

Source: https://vi-pole.ru/med-s-nikelem-splav-nazvanie.html

Copper-nickel alloys

High-quality copper-nickel alloys are common in many industries and in everyday life. These are compounds based on nickel and copper, in which the proportion of components increases/decreases, depending on the brand. For example, if it is necessary to improve anti-corrosion properties, the percentage of nickel is increased.

Types of alloys

This section of the catalog presents only a part of all possible designs. You can read more about each brand on a specific page. If you don’t know what and in what quantities you need to order for production purposes, get advice from a specialist by phone or by visiting our office.

If you need to purchase rental products or rare parts made according to an engineer’s specifications, please contact us. Wolframoff technologists with 20 years of experience have implemented hundreds of the most complex projects over the years of successful work.

Scope of application

The main advantages include: good machinability. Pressure gives excellent results both in the hot and cold state of the workpiece. All alloys in this group can be divided into 2 categories:

• Electrical.
Unlike the latter, they have high electrical resistance. In our company you can buy copper-nickel alloys copel, constantan, alumel and chromel in the form of rolled products with various sections. They are also used to produce thermocouples, rheostats, and resistors. • Structural.

These are the best options for the manufacture of products, parts and components of machines and industrial plants. The most common and affordable is cupronickel, from which interior items, souvenirs, coins, and cutlery were produced. Single-phase cupronickel demonstrates resistance to the aggressive effects of salty sea and fresh water.

For a long service life of watercraft, manganese and iron are also added to copper and nickel alloys.

Examples of using copper and nickel alloys:

• MH-19. Cupronickel alloy is optimal for the production of precision mechanics and medical instruments. With high levels of corrosion resistance and low ductility in a cold state, the connection is easy to weld.• MNC 15-20 is optimal for the production of electrical parts, springs, relays, and cutlery. Nickel silver has good ductility and the ability to be deformed in a cold state.

• Kopel – compensation wires and thermocouples.

• Constantan is used for various purposes in electrical engineering.
Used for the production of tapes, strips and wires. • Monel or NMZhMts28-2.5-1.5 – the basis for creating parts that are resistant to corrosion. It is used to form rolled products well. • MNMts is a whole subgroup of copper alloys. The numbers in the markings that follow the letters indicate the content of the base and alloying elements. They are mainly used in the manufacture of pipes, wires, wires, and parts of measuring instruments.

• MNZH – copper-nickel-iron. Such alloys are strong and reliable, which is why they are used for the manufacture of pipelines and parts in instrument making. Electrodes are convenient for welding copper and brass or bronze based on aluminum and manganese. The welding wire is suitable for use in semi-automatic and manual welding equipment. Allows surfacing on steel, forming neat and durable seams.

Source: http://wolframoff.com/product/splavy/medno-nikelevye

What is the name of the alloy of copper and nickel?

Copper is a ductile metal, easy to process, and has electrical and thermal conductivity. To improve its performance properties, various alloying components are introduced into its composition. In this article we will talk about an alloy of copper and nickel, which increases its resistance to corrosion, increases strength and electrical resistance.

What does adding nickel to copper do?

Nickel is introduced into the alloy as the main alloying component. It significantly increases the hardness of copper. Metals are endowed with a rare feature: they completely dissolve in each other. When fused, depending on the proportion, homogeneous alloys of two metals change their properties as follows:

• Increases resistance to acids and alkalis.
• Heat resistance increases.
• Develops resistance to corrosion.
• Increases elasticity and strength.
• The temperature coefficient of resistance decreases.

Classification

Using mechanical, chemical and physical properties, as well as the scope of application, copper-nickel alloys can be divided into two main groups:

• Structural – characterized by high corrosion resistance and great strength. These include cupronickel, containing up to 30% nickel and small amounts of other metals, nickel silver, which has excellent strength, and a special kunial alloy with aluminum additives, which is well processed under pressure.

• Electrical - have high electrical resistance. These include the thermoelectrode alloy copel, which contains a high content of nickel, manganin and constantan. Used in electrical engineering for compensation wires, thermocouples and rheostats.

Alloys are used for the manufacture of parts, used in instruments and heat exchangers, therefore they are subject to strict requirements for chemical composition and physical characteristics.

An alloy of copper and nickel, whose name is cupronickel, can contain up to 22% of the main alloying component nickel, about 80% copper and no more than 0.6% impurities. It has high strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance.

The alloy lends itself well to machining; it is stamped, cut, minted, soldered, polished, and subjected to pressure in any form (cold and hot). Cupronickel is produced in the form of ribbons, strips and pipes. The metal has a silver color.

It is used in the production of condenser pipes, air conditioner parts, and is used in instrument making.

In addition, the alloy is used to make medical products, inexpensive jewelry, coins and tableware. To improve the appearance of the product, it is coated with a thin layer of silver.

German silvers

Alloys of nickel, copper and zinc contain up to 35 percent nickel and 45 percent zinc, and the rest is copper.

Nickel silvers (translated from German as “new silver”) have a beautiful silvery color, they do not oxidize in air, and are resistant to solutions of organic acids and salts.

Due to their high corrosion resistance, non-ferromagnetic alloys are used in instrument making, used for the manufacture of medical instruments and watch mechanisms.

When making products for the jewelry industry, deoxidizing agents are added to the alloys, which reduce the amount of copper oxide and increase ductility and strength. As nickel increases in the alloy, its hardness and strength increase. With the introduction of aluminum, the alloys become dispersed-hardening, and the resistance to corrosion also increases. The presence of lead in nickel silver gives the metal elasticity and improves cutting performance.

High resistance alloys

For the manufacture of electric heating devices, conductors are required, a material that has a high specific and low temperature coefficient of resistance.

Precision resistances for devices are usually made from manganins - an alloy of copper, nickel and manganese. It contains 86% copper, 13% manganese and about 3% nickel. To stabilize manganins, a small amount of iron, silver and aluminum is introduced.

The alloys have a high melting point of 960 degrees, an average density of slightly more than 8 g/cm3. and orange color.

Manganins depend little on the temperature of electrical resistance, which is very important for their use in electrical measuring devices with a high degree of accuracy. Another advantage of the alloys is the very low thermal emf when paired with copper.

To stabilize the electromechanical properties, artificial aging of manganin is carried out. The wire is heated in a vacuum to 400 degrees for about two hours, after which it is kept at room temperature for a long time to obtain stable properties.

The alloy is used for the manufacture of additional resistances, coils, shunts, and high-precision measuring instruments.

Constantan

Which alloy of copper and nickel, along with manganin, is an alloy of high electrical resistance? This is a constantan, it contains up to 65% copper, up to 41% nickel and about 2% manganese. This alloy has a specific silver tone, medium density and a melting point of 1270 degrees.

The industry produces wire from constantan, the diameter of which is 0.02-5 millimeters. Significant thermo-EMF paired with copper limits the use of the alloy in precision electrical measuring instruments. But it finds application in thermocouples for measuring temperatures up to 300 degrees.

Constantan wire made of a copper-nickel alloy is subjected to special heat treatment by heating it to 900 degrees and then cooling it.

As a result, a dark gray oxide film is formed on its surface, which forms an insulating layer and does not require additional protective coating. The alloy is easy to machine and therefore has high technological properties.

It finds application in measuring instruments, electric heating elements and rheostats with temperatures up to 400 degrees.

Conclusion

Alloys of copper and nickel are used in various industries. They are plastic and have anti-corrosion properties. They are used to make parts that have important purposes and are used in heat exchangers and devices. Therefore, alloys are subject to stringent requirements for density and chemical composition.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/467647/kak-nazyivaetsya-splav-medi-s-nikelem

Cupronickel • what is it, composition of cupronickel, differences from nickel silver and silver

If we say in clear language and unambiguously what cupronickel , then it is an alloy of copper and white nickel. It is very similar in color to silver, therefore it has been successfully “adopted” in the jewelry industry, the production of coins, dishes and other products with the initial goal of replacing silver with a cheaper analogue.

The introduction of cupronickel was very successful, since with proper processing, cupronickel products are very difficult to distinguish from silver, at least in color and basic properties. The most noticeable difference from silver is that cupronickel is noticeably superior to silver in mechanical strength.

In addition, various parts, electrical appliances, etc. are made from cupronickel.

It is generally accepted that cupronickel alloy was created by the French inventors Maillot (Mayo) and Chorier (Chorier) in the 19th century and it received its name precisely from the combination of their names, distorted in the German language. Maillot-Chorier eventually became Melchior. The French initially called their alloy nothing more than “maishor”, but this name did not stick.

However, according to other sources, cupronickel was known back in the third century BC under the name “white copper”, but for unknown reasons was forgotten for two millennia, only to be rediscovered under a different name, which turned out to be very pleasant to the ear and became very popular. Also, a similar alloy was known in medieval China as "pakfong" or "Chinese silver" - presumably an alloy based on bronze, nickel and zinc.

Pakfong is considered the progenitor of the nickel silver alloy, which is also very similar to cupronickel. Despite the fact that the creation of the alloy is attributed to French scientists, cupronickel is often referred to as “German silver”.

The word "cupronickel" itself was not invented in the 19th century. According to Western European church traditions, Melchior is the name of one of the three wise men who came to the newborn Jesus with gifts for Christmas.

The names of the Magi are not mentioned in the Gospel; it is believed that their names “appeared” in the Middle Ages. By coincidence, the name Melchior seemed to someone to be consonant with two names, or rather the names of the inventors who discovered this alloy.

The resulting name for the alloy has become so ingrained that, out of habit, even some similar alloys are now called cupronickel.

Cupronickel - alloy composition

The composition of cupronickel is a base of copper and approximately 5-30% nickel, as well as small proportions of some other metals that are inevitably present in any alloy. The most noticeable impurities in cupronickel are iron (up to 1%) and manganese (up to 0.1%). Roughly speaking, the most common type of alloy is 70% copper + 30% nickel.

Crockery, cutlery and jewelry are made from cupronickel with a composition of 70/30. More precisely, they were produced somewhere in the early 20th century and today have been replaced by other similar alloys with similar properties. For example, the nickel silver cutlery ZiSh, known to many, in the mid-20th century was already produced from MNTs 15-20 (nickel silver).

The composition of cupronickel can change in the direction of reducing nickel and adding copper; as this happens, the alloy will acquire an increasingly rich yellow-red (copper) hue.

Cupronickel alloys

There are many copper-based alloys besides cupronickel, and some of these are sometimes called "cupronickel alloys." Cupronickel alloys are solid solutions and can be easily processed in both hot and cold states. Nickel is responsible for corrosion resistance and strength, and as its proportion increases, these parameters also improve.

The alloy most similar to cupronickel is under the simple name “cupronickel” (chemical Cu-Ni) with the same copper and nickel in its composition, only two elements this time in approximately equal proportions.

Monel is a variety of cupronickel with a nickel content of up to 67%.

Constantan is an alloy of copper and nickel 59%/41%.

Cupronickel – Nickel silver – Brass

Since our site, let’s say, is more devoted to tableware than jewelry or technical products, we are most interested in three related alloys - cupronickel, nickel silver and brass. Because dishes, cutlery and interior items are mainly made from these alloys.

Brass is again a copper-based alloy. Unlike cupronickel, brass contains copper and zinc plus impurities. Brass is classified into many grades, the most interesting for us are L68 and L63 (composition - about 68% or 63% copper and 30-35% zinc, respectively).

Nickel silver (literally translated from German as “new silver”) is a copper-based alloy with nickel and zinc. Again, there are several brands of nickel silver with slightly different compositions, the most interesting for us is MNTs15-20 (composition - 65% copper, 15% nickel, 20% zinc).

Brass and nickel silver of the indicated brands differ little from cupronickel in properties and characteristics, therefore products made of brass and nickel silver were very often called cupronickel. Especially if these are nickel silver products with an external coating of silver, chrome, nickel, etc.

Perhaps these products were called cupronickel due to some illiteracy of the population of the 19th and 20th centuries, but rather the word “cupronickel” was simply more pleasant to the ear, over time it took root and remained in this form. Later, brass and nickel silver almost completely replaced cupronickel.

Today, cupronickel alloy, as such, is used very rarely, at least for the production of household goods.

Differences between the three alloys in simple terms: Cupronickel = copper + nickel Brass = copper + zinc

Nickel silver = copper + nickel + zinc

Melchior is a common noun

Today it is quite natural to hear that cupronickel cutlery is made of nickel silver, and cupronickel coaster is made of brass. Actually, this is how it is in most cases, the words “cupronickel” and “cupronickel” have long become common nouns and are simply a description of a certain group of goods (mainly various dishes, cutlery and interior items) that are made from various alloys similar to cupronickel.

Finding out from which specific alloy the base of a particular product is made is very simple - normal manufacturers must put the appropriate mark (sample) from the letter designation of the alloy and numbers - its composition, for example the same MNTs15-20, L-68, MN-19.

MN is precisely the mark of cupronickel (copper-nickel), the numbers are the nickel content as a percentage, the remaining abbreviations are described a couple of paragraphs above, we will not repeat ourselves.

The only thing is that, as a rule, cupronickel table knives are not marked; only the blade, which is usually made of stainless steel, is marked.

Cupronickel cutlery is necessarily coated with a layer of silver, and dishes are coated with silver or cheaper chrome and nickel. Also, silver-plated and nickel-plated products are often covered with a layer of gold plating.

The inner surface of chrome-plated and nickel-plated cupronickel utensils that come into contact with food products must be tinned (coated with a layer of food-grade tin). In silver-plated cupronickel ware, the inner surface is most often also silvered.

In this design, the specific alloy of the base of the cupronickel product (brass, nickel silver or cupronickel itself) is no longer so important - they are almost identical in properties, and on top, in any case, there is another metal in contact and we see silver or something else.

Cupronickel - Silver

Today, as we mentioned above, cupronickel in its pure form is almost never used. Just like nickel silver. Well, not counting technical products, complex spare parts and electrical circuits. Almost all products that make sense to compare in the format “differences between cupronickel and silver” are made from cupronickel or nickel silver coated with silver. Let's try to consider the main points in the differences between cupronickel and silver.

1. Useful properties of silver.
   Everyone has probably heard about antibacterial, disinfectant, cleansing, etc. properties of silver. And here, I think, you still need to pay extra and buy silver cutlery or dishes. But be that as it may. Oddly enough, cupronickel is better than silver in this regard. The reason is banal. Silver products are made from 925 silver (called “sterling”) or lower, which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. In contrast, cupronickel silver cutlery and dishes are coated with a layer of 999.9 pure silver (99.99% silver, 0.01% impurities). As a result, in terms of the beneficial properties of silver, cupronickel is more useful than silver.
2. Strength.
   We already wrote above that cupronickel is superior to silver in strength, nickel silver and brass have similar properties. This means that, for example, cupronickel cutlery will be more resistant to bending and breaking, which means they will be more durable and will most likely retain their original shape longer. Here again, cupronickel is ahead.
3. Thermal conductivity.
   Silver is one of the metals with the highest electrical and thermal conductivity. Cupronickel and similar alloys have lower values. It would seem that cupronickel has been caught, but no. Lower thermal conductivity is just better for dishes and cutlery. The walls of dishes and cutlery will heat up more slowly and to a lesser extent when in contact with hot food products, which means using cupronickel in this case will again be more comfortable than silver.
4. Price.
   Here it is clear - cupronickel is much more affordable than silver.
5. Product thickness.
   The lower price of cupronickel reveals the fact that cupronickel products, as a rule, are made more massive due to the greater availability of the material. This usually means that using such products will be more comfortable. For example, the thickness of cutlery is one of the main indicators of their quality.
6. Premium.
   The only thing that silver has left after the widespread introduction of cupronickel is its high price, which means silver dishes and cutlery remain premium-segment goods and goods of symbolic significance and are used by those for whom it is important to emphasize their status, or the status of a certain event. Silverware was, is and will be. Melchior will never keep up with silver in this regard.

Is cupronickel silver harmful to health or beneficial?

There is an opinion that cupronickel is harmful to health. Of course, if you eat cupronickel every day, there will definitely be harm; not only your teeth will suffer.

In fact, the harm of cupronickel is due to its composition, more precisely the main component of the alloy - copper, which can be toxic when in contact with many foods, especially hot dishes. Therefore, copper utensils must be tinned (coated with food-grade tin inside).

Cupronickel tableware is processed in much the same way as we already wrote above - tinned, nickel-plated, chrome-plated, silver-plated, gilded. Cupronickel silver cutlery - plated with silver.

It follows from this that the harm of cupronickel is nothing more than a myth and a horror story from manufacturers of silverware and expensive stainless steel products. Silver-plated cupronickel cutlery is even more useful than those made entirely of silver.

If cupronickel dishes and cutlery are not subjected to ultra-aggressive cleaning, they will serve faithfully for several generations of your family, and there will be absolutely no harm to you.

Just do not use abrasive cleaners - metal and other hard scrapers, brushes, powders and pastes not specifically designed for silver, and you will only benefit from cupronickel cutlery and dishes.

Buy cupronickel in our online store

In our catalog, cupronickel is presented in a wide range. You have the opportunity to buy a cupronickel cutlery set or cupronickel spoons, forks and knives individually, cup holders, trays, teapots and other products made from cupronickel, nickel silver, brass, copper, etc.

plated with silver, gold, nickel, chrome or unplated. We are sure that you will find many nickel silver products that will fill your home with comfort or will be an excellent gift for a loved one. Silver-plated cupronickel not only is not inferior to its silver counterparts, but also has a number of significant advantages.

Choose the best, surround yourself with beautiful things.

Source: https://miksem.com.ua/info/article/melchior/

Properties and applications of copper-nickel alloys

Copper has long been known for its high electrical conductivity and heat dissipation. If alloying substances are added to copper, its properties will change significantly. The technical characteristics of copper-nickel alloys are significantly better than those of pure metal. Copper-based alloys have high strength and hardness. They are easily processed in various ways and are resistant to moisture. Copper and nickel alloys are widely used in various industries.

What kind of alloy is this

By mixing various non-ferrous metals, materials with pre-planned enhanced properties are obtained. In an alloy of copper and nickel, the latter acts as an additional alloying component. It is introduced along with other metals, increasing the strength, hardness and fluidity of copper, changing its melting point.

Nickel, aluminum, and manganese are used as additional alloying elements.

Types of copper-nickel alloys

A copper alloy alloyed with nickel forms a large number of solid solutions, which are divided into several groups:

• structural;
• electrical;
• jewelry.

The main characteristics of structural copper-nickel alloys: high hardness, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance. Manganese, chromium, aluminum, zinc and other components are used together with nickel.

In electrical alloys, the manganese content may exceed nickel. The alloys have stable resistance and high conductivity.

Decorative compounds include copper and nickel compounds that lend themselves well to various types of processing: cutting, deformation. They have high fluidity.

Kopel

A copper-nickel alloy with high thermal stability, marked MNMts 43-0.5. An additional alloying component is manganese. Available in the form of wire of various diameters. Used for the manufacture of compensation wires and low-temperature converters. Resistant to acidic environments, works in inert gases.

The main property is high stability of resistance when changing temperatures. Refers to heat-resistant materials. Stably retains its characteristics at temperatures up to 600⁰.

Nickel silver

Jewelry copper alloy with a nickel content of 15% and zinc within 20%. Nickel gives the alloy a white color with a greenish or blue tint.

German chemists invented the alloy as a cheap substitute for white gold, no different in appearance. Nickel silver turned out to be harder, resistant to moisture and steam. Does not darken and does not lose its decorative properties. In Europe it was used to make awards and jewelry. Currently, medals, orders, guitar frets and surgical instruments are made from it.

Kunial

The alloy is available in 2 versions and has the letters A and B at the end of the marking. Both types of alloy are corrosion resistant. At elevated temperatures it is prone to cracking.

Kunial-A is additionally alloyed with aluminum, cobalt and iron. Produced in the form of rods.

Kuniali-B - only nickel is dissolved in copper, the content of other substances in total is no more than 1%. The material is used to make strips for springs and springs.

Manganin

In addition to copper and nickel, this alloy contains 13% manganese. It has a beautiful golden-red color. Manganin may contain iron. It belongs to the initially aged alloys - it acquires its mechanical properties after heat treatment. Possesses electrical stability under temperature changes.

Manganin is used in high-precision electrical measuring instruments to create standards.

There is another alloy composition in which copper is replaced by silver. The technical characteristics are practically the same. White Manganin is much more expensive.

Monel

In addition to copper and nickel, manganese and iron are added to the alloy. Monel is named after the head of the American chemical laboratory where the alloy was developed. The material is corrosion resistant, ductile and durable. It is highly resistant to acids and alkalis. Marked - NMZHMts28-2.5-1.5.

Monel is used in the manufacture of instruments and equipment for the chemical and oil industries. Used in apparatus manufacturing, medicine and the shipbuilding industry for the manufacture of anti-corrosion parts.

The alloy is highly plastic, easily processed in cold and hot conditions. Mechanical processing is only possible at low speeds.

Cupronickel

White carbide contains copper in the range of 70–90%. Refers to jewelry compositions. In addition to nickel, it has alloying substances:

It has high corrosion resistance in sea soda and gas environments. The melting point is in the range of 1150–1230⁰, does not depend on the ratio of the components.

The most common brands of cupronickel are MNZhMts30-1-1 and MN16. It receives its technical characteristics after annealing. Belongs to the group of initially aged alloys.

In the last century, cupronickel was called silver for the proletariat. Outwardly it does not differ from silver, but is much harder and cheaper. Dishes and spoons made from it also oxidize and darken, just like those made from pure silver. Requires constant care. The low cost of the material allowed ordinary workers to buy dishes from it and pass it off as silver. Cleans well with simple tooth powder and toothpastes without additives.

Cupronickel is used to make spoons, forks, tableware, and various decorations. It lends itself well to processing, carving, and embossing. Surgical instruments, coins, and medals are made from it.

Alloy grades and chemical composition

The alloys are made on the basis of copper, to which nickel and other components are added, in accordance with GOST 492-73. Possessing high plasticity, the materials are pressure-processable. Additionally alloyed with other elements:

• manganese;
• aluminum;
• zinc;
• iron.

The largest number of produced alloys are two-component compositions, which differ only in the content of basic substances. These are brands MH25, MH19 and MH95-5. As the proportion of nickel increases, electrical resistance and strength increase. Thermal conductivity, ductility and linear expansion are reduced. For example, MH95-5 is characterized by good mechanical properties, is easily processed by pressure, and does not form corrosion cracks.

Cupronickel grade MH19 is significantly superior to MH95-5 in strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance. It does not form microcracks at low temperatures and is subject to cold and hot stamping. Its melting and recrystallization temperatures (transition to the solid state) are much higher.

Structural compositions have high corrosion resistance and hardness. Additional alloying substances include chromium, magnesium, lithium, and cobalt. Such alloys include:

• kuniali;
• nickel silver;
• cupronickel;
• MH95-5;
• MNZH5-1.

Alloys are solid solutions of nickel and other components. They have high strength and corrosion resistance. They acquire their properties after heat treatment.

Kuniali are three-component compositions with the addition of aluminum. Hot pressure processed. Nickel silver and cupronickel are resistant to acidic and alkaline environments and sea water. Pressure processed in hot and cold conditions. Cutting is allowed only at low speeds in order to avoid strong heating and scorching in the cutting area.

Electrical compositions are characterized by high electrical conductivity, plasticity, and stable emf. These include:

• MH0.6 - TP;
• MNZHKT5-1-0.2-0.2;
• MNMts40-1.5 - Constantan;
• MNMts3-12;
• MNMts43-0.5 - Kopel.

Wire, rods and strip are made from them by rolling. Used in various electrical devices, networks, thermocouples and other electrical equipment.

The addition of manganese makes copper-nickel compositions ductile and resistant to low temperatures.

Properties

When nickel is dissolved in copper, the mechanical properties of the starting materials increase:

• hardness;
• strength;
• plastic;
• tensile and bending resistance.

The alloy has high corrosion resistance in aggressive environments and sea water. Compositions with a high nickel content, including aluminum and magnesium, have increased strength. Two-component compositions have a stable resistance value.

High casting qualities make it possible to cast parts with small elements and jewelry from copper-nickel solid solutions. Nickel and manganese increase the weldability of parts, allowing you to join even materials of different compositions.

Application

Copper-nickel alloys are widely used in various industries. They are used to make wire, compensation springs, capacitor tubes, parts of measuring instruments, relays, and sensors.

Used as jewelry compositions, cupronickel and nickel silver are widely used in instrument making. They are used to make sharp scalpels and other medical instruments.

Awards, watch cases, costume jewelry and many other beautiful and useful little things are cast and stamped from copper-nickel alloys.
They are used to make pipelines that operate in aggressive environments, springs that serve in cold weather, and machine and machine parts. Best method of cleaning coins

Source: https://metalloy.ru/splavy/medno-nikelevye

The use of nickel in everyday life, construction and other industries

Nickel is a silver-gray, ductile, malleable metal. It belongs to transition metals, that is, it can exhibit both acidic and alkaline properties. Under normal conditions, nickel is covered with an oxide film and is therefore inactive. The difference from other similar elements is that its oxide film does not reduce shine. And today we will tell you about the use of nickel in industry, the use of its alloys in construction and other areas of life.

The oxide film protects the metal, giving it high corrosion resistance. Moreover, its effect is so strong that not only nickel itself turns out to be inactive, but also any other objects coated with the thinnest layer of nickel. It is this quality that determines one of the most common methods of application.

This video will tell you about the use of nickel in everyday life:

Nickel plating is the production of a nickel coating by galvanic method on the surface of other metals - iron alloys, as a rule, in order to protect the latter from corrosion. In 2015, 7% of the mined metal was used for nickel plating.

Such “processing” is encountered everywhere: dishes, cutlery, metal pipes used in the manufacture of furniture or for decorative purposes.

In addition to protecting the base alloy, the metal also imparts a beautiful silver shine that does not fade over time.

Nickel is used to protect cast iron, iron, magnesium and even zinc and aluminum, which themselves are considered quite resistant to corrosion. However, nickel has another special property - exceptional resistance to alkalis.

Nickel plating of metal products is actively used in the chemical industry - for the production of tanks for storing and transporting chemically aggressive substances, for example, as well as for the production of parts intended to work in the most dangerous conditions: for example, to protect duralumin aircraft blades from corrosion.

Other areas

• The metal is used in the production of batteries - nickel-cadmium, iron-nickel, nickel-zinc, nickel-hydrogen. Nickel electrodes are stable in the electrolyte, have a long service life and are affordable. Thus, a zinc-silver battery demonstrates higher performance, but is much more expensive.
• The metal is used in the chemical industry to produce a variety of reagents.
• In medicine, nickel is used in the manufacture of prosthetics and brace systems, since the metal is completely inert and safe. The same property allows the substance to be used in the manufacture of equipment for the food industry.
• However, a much larger share of nickel is spent on producing various alloys. Iron alloys account for 67% of the mined substance, and non-iron alloys account for 17%.

This is due to the fact that nickel gives the alloys almost the same anti-corrosion resistance that it itself possesses. As a result, most of the metal is used to produce a wide variety of stainless steels. The same iron alloys that are not alloyed with nickel are galvanized or nickel-plated for protection.

It is simply unrealistic to list the areas of application of stainless and structural steels: there is no area of ​​the national economy where these products are not used.

Of no less interest are other nickel alloy compositions, for example, an alloy of nickel with iron, copper, tin, aluminum, titanium, chromium and other metals.

Alloys based on it

Nickel alloys are extremely diverse, and their properties are so important for various sectors of the national economy that almost all compositions form separate groups.

With copper

Nickel-copper alloys - a rare feature inherent in such a solid solution is the mutual complete solubility of the metals in each other. When alloyed in any proportion, a single-phase homogeneous alloy is obtained that changes its properties naturally and predictably. The corrosion properties of such alloys are determined only by the proportions of the substances: with a copper share of more than 50%, the properties are closer to the qualities of copper itself; with a nickel share of more than 50%, the alloy exhibits the qualities inherent in nickel.

Nickel-copper alloys are resistant to both acids and alkalis. They are used in the production of parts and tanks for equipment operating in phosphoric, sulfuric, perchloric acid environments, as well as machine parts experiencing high load-bearing loads.

• The most well-known compositions of this kind include Monels: 70% nickel, 28% copper and 1.5–2% iron.

Monels are characterized by excellent mechanical strength and hardness, durability, resistance to wear and insensitivity to acids and alkalis. They are used to produce valves, pumps, impeller axles, springs, bushings, heat exchangers, etc.

• Coins are made from copper-nickel alloys.
• Constantan is an alloy of 40% nickel and 59% copper, used in the manufacture of high-precision equipment, as it is wear-resistant and can withstand high loads.

The use of nickel in modern technology is presented in this video:

• Nickel and chromium alloys – nichrome – are known for their heat resistance, but at the same time they are also distinguished by high corrosion resistance, including to acids. This set of qualities also determines its use: in the manufacture of muffle furnaces, for the production of heat exchangers and pipelines, as parts of gas turbines. Alloys with a nickel content of up to 80% are used for the manufacture of combustion chamber parts in jet engines and nuclear reactors. The most famous of them are nimonic, incoloy of various brands, and inconel. Alloys are used for the manufacture of parts where high strength at high temperatures is required - casings of heating elements, crusher pipes, and so on.
• Strengthened nickel-chromium-iron are rightly called super-strong alloys. They combine extreme strength with resistance to high temperature corrosion and creep resistance. They are used to make parts of gas turbines, blades and engine parts, parts of furnaces, forging material, and so on. The alloys are designed to “work” at temperatures up to 600–850 C. The most famous are nimonic, as well as inconel and udimet.

The nickel-molybdenum composition - for example, Hastelloy - is resistant to sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric and so on acids, and at high temperatures up to boiling. Parts of acid-resistant equipment are made from the alloy. At the same time, it is characterized by high strength, so that it serves as a full-fledged structural material in the chemical industry.

Nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloys are resistant to an even wider range of acids and other aggressive environments - dry chlorine, for example.

• Metal also has its place in jewelry. The alloy "white gold" contains 58% gold and a ligature of nickel and silver.
• Nickel itself is ferromagnetic. Its alloys, alnico and magnico, are permanent magnets.

We will talk about the alloy of iron and nickel and its benefits below.

With iron

This refers to solid solutions in which nickel is not an alloying additive, as in stainless steels, but a more “weighty” component - up to 65%. There are 4 types of such alloys.

• Heat-resistant - their feature is not just resistance to temperatures, but the ability to withstand high loads at high temperatures. The share of nickel here is usually 44–46%, and may also include chromium, aluminum, titanium, molybdenum, and so on. The mechanical strength of alloys under normal conditions is 600–850 MPa, and at temperatures of 800–900 C – from 45 to 177 MPa.

Heat resistance without load reaches 1000–1350 C, while operation at high temperatures does not affect the physical properties of the products. The alloy is used to make parts for nuclear reactors, jet engines, gas turbines, and so on.

• Magnetic alloys – permalloys – exhibit high magnetic permeability in a weak field. They are used in electrical engineering to produce parts with high magnetization.
• Alloys that retain elasticity and overall dimensions - elinvar, for example, containing 36% nickel. It retains increased elasticity at high temperatures, since this quality of the alloy is due to its magnetic properties. Used for the manufacture of thermocouples in furnaces.
• Anti-corrosion alloys - as a rule, in addition to nickel, also contain molybdenum or chromium. They are actively used in the production of chemical equipment.

World nickel production in 1887 was only 600 tons. The metal was used to make coins. But already from the 80s, the nickel industry began to actively develop. The impetus was the high corrosion resistance of the metal, and, most importantly, its alloys.

• Nickel plating as a way to “ennoble” a product also began to be used from the end of the 19th century and was only replaced by chrome plating in the 30s of the 20th century. In construction, nickel-plated parts are still used in the construction of a wide variety of decorative structures.
• For the same reasons, nickel-plated parts are used in furniture production. The metal layer not only gives the product shine and beautiful color, but also protects the frame from any external influences.
• Decorative qualities determine another area of ​​application - fittings for furniture, windows, doors, household appliances, and so on. Handles, hinges, and metal trims look great and last a very long time.
• Nickel-plated taps, faucets, shower heads and other bathroom accessories never go out of style, as the nickel layer provides the products with an excellent appearance and exceptional resistance to corrosion of any kind. Of course, this option is inferior to bronze in terms of decorativeness, because the base here is steel, and it is not malleable. But the silver color and unfading shine are also attractive.
• Alloys with nickel are used much more widely, especially various stainless and structural steels. It is unrealistic to imagine modern construction without the participation of rolled metal.

Nickel is a metal characterized by high corrosion resistance and is capable of imparting this property to its alloys. This quality is most often the reason for using metal.

This video will tell you about chemical nickel plating:

Source: http://stroyres.net/metallicheskie/vidyi/tsvetnyie/nikel/primenenie-v-byitu-stroitelstve.html