Nickel is what kind of metal

Nickel - what is it? Nickel properties

The year was 1751. In small Sweden, thanks to the scientist Axel Frederik Krondstedt, element number 17 appeared. At that time, there were only 12 known metals, plus sulfur, phosphorus, carbon and arsenic. They accepted a new guy into their company, his name was Nickel.

A little history

Many years before this miraculous discovery, miners from Saxony were familiar with ore that could be mistaken for copper ore. Attempts to extract copper from this material were futile. Feeling deceived, the ore began to be called “kupfernickel” (in Russian - “copper devil”).

Mineral expert Krondstedt became interested in this ore. After much work, a new metal was obtained, which was called nickel. Bergman took over the research baton. He further purified the metal and concluded that the element resembled iron.

Physical properties of nickel

Nickel is part of the tenth group of elements and is in the fourth period of the periodic table under atomic number 28. If you enter the symbol Ni in the table, this is nickel. It has a yellow tint with a silver base. Even in air, the metal does not become faded. Hard and quite viscous.

It lends itself well to forging, making it possible to produce very thin products. Perfectly polished. Nickel can be attracted using a magnet. Even at a temperature of 340 degrees with a minus sign, the magnetic properties of nickel are visible. Nickel is a metal that is resistant to corrosion. It exhibits weak chemical activity.

What can you say about the chemical properties of nickel?

What is needed to determine the qualitative composition of nickel? Here we should list which atoms (namely their number) our metal consists of. The molar mass (also called atomic mass) is 58.6934 (g/mol). We have moved forward with measurements.

The radius of the atom of our metal is 124 pm. When measuring the radius of the ion, the result showed (+2e) 69 pm, and the number 115 pm is the covalent radius.

According to the scale of the famous crystallographer and great chemist Pauling, the electronegativity is 1.91, and the electronic potential is 0.25 V.

The effects of air and water on nickel are practically negligible. The same can be said about alkali. Why does this metal react this way? NiO is created on its surface. This is a coating in the form of a film that prevents oxidation. If nickel is heated to a very high temperature, then it begins to react with oxygen, and also reacts with halogens, and with all of them.

If nickel gets into nitric acid, the reaction will not take long to occur. It is also readily activated in solutions containing ammonia.

But not all acid affects nickel. Acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid dissolve it very slowly but surely. And attempts to do the same with nickel in phosphoric acid were not successful at all.

Nickel in nature

Scientists' speculations are that the core of our planet is an alloy that contains 90% iron and 10 times less nickel. There is the presence of cobalt - 0.6%. During the rotation process, nickel atoms were released into the earth's covering layer.

They are the founders of sulfide copper-nickel ores, along with copper and sulfur. Some bolder nickel atoms did not stop there and made their way further. The atoms strove to the surface in company with chromium, magnesium, and iron.

Next, the companions of our metal oxidized and became disconnected.

On the surface of the globe there are acidic and ultrabasic rocks. According to scientists, the nickel content in acidic rocks is much lower than in ultrabasic rocks. Therefore, the soil and vegetation there are quite well enriched with nickel. But the journey of the hero under discussion in the biosphere and water turned out to be not so noticeable.

Nickel ores

Industrial nickel ores are divided into two types.

1. Sulfide copper-nickel. Minerals: magnesium, pyrrhotite, cubanite, milerite, petlandite, sperrylite - this is what is contained in these ores. Thanks to the magma that formed them. Sulfide ores can also yield palladium, gold, and more.
2. Silicate nickel ores. They are loose, clay-like. Ores of this type are ferruginous, siliceous, and magnesian.

Where is nickel used?

Nickel is widely used in such a powerful industry as metallurgy. Namely, in the manufacture of a wide variety of alloys. The alloy mainly contains iron, nickel and cobalt. There are many alloys based on nickel.

Our metal is combined into an alloy, for example, with titanium, chromium, molybdenum. Nickel is also used to protect products that corrode quickly.

These products are nickel-plated, that is, they create a special nickel coating that prevents corrosion from doing its nasty work.

Nickel is a very good catalyst. Therefore, it is actively used in the chemical industry. These are instruments, chemical utensils, devices for various applications. For chemicals, food, delivery of alkalis, storage of essential oils, tanks and reservoirs made of nickel materials are used. Nuclear technology, television, and a variety of devices, the list of which is very long, cannot be used without this metal.

If you look into such a field as instrument making, and then into the field of mechanical engineering, you will notice that anodes and cathodes are nickel sheets. And this is not the entire list of uses for such a simply wonderful metal. The importance of nickel in medicine should not be underestimated.

Nickel in medicine

Nickel is used very widely in medicine. First, let's take the tools needed to carry out the operation. The result of the operation depends not only on the doctor himself, but also on the quality of the instrument he uses. Instruments undergo numerous sterilizations, and if they are made of an alloy that does not include nickel, then corrosion will not take long to occur. And tools made from steel, which contains nickel, last much longer.

If we talk about implants, nickel alloys are used for their manufacture. Nickel-containing steel has a high degree of strength. Devices for fixing bones, prostheses, screws - everything is made of this steel. In dentistry, implants have also taken a strong position. Clasps and stainless steel braces are used by orthodontists.

Nickel in living organisms

If you look at the world from the bottom up, the picture emerges something like this. There is soil under our feet. there is more nickel in it than in vegetation. But if we consider this vegetation under the prism that interests us, then a large nickel content is found in legumes. And in cereal crops the percentage of nickel increases.

Let us briefly consider the average nickel content in plants, marine and terrestrial animals. And of course, in a person. The measurement is in weight percent. So, the mass of nickel in plants is 5*10-5. Land animals 1*10-6, sea animals 1.6*10-4. And in humans the nickel content is 1-2*10-6.

The role of nickel in the human body

I always want to be a healthy and beautiful person. Nickel is one of the important trace elements in the human body. Nickel usually accumulates in the lungs, kidneys and liver. Accumulations of nickel in humans are found in the hair, thyroid and pancreas. And that's not all. What does metal do in the body? Here we can safely say that he is a Swede, a reaper, and a trumpet player. Namely:

• tries, not without success, to help provide cells with oxygen;
• redox work in tissues also falls on the shoulders of nickel;
• does not hesitate to participate in regulating the body’s hormonal levels;
• safely oxidizes vitamin C;
• one can note its involvement in fat metabolism;
• Nickel has an excellent effect on hematopoiesis.

I would like to note the enormous importance of nickel in the cell. This microelement protects the cell membrane and nucleic acids, namely their structure.

Although the list of worthy works of nickel can be continued. From the above, we note that the body needs nickel. This trace element enters our body through food. Usually there is enough nickel in the body, because you need very little of it. Alarm bells of a lack of our metal are the appearance of dermatitis. This is the importance of nickel in the human body.

Nickel alloys

There are many different nickel alloys. Let us note the main three groups.

The first group includes alloys of nickel and copper. They are called nickel-copper alloys. Whatever the ratios in which these two elements are fused, the result is amazing and, most importantly, without surprises. Homogeneous alloy is guaranteed. If there is more copper than nickel in it, then the properties of copper are more pronounced, and if nickel predominates, the alloy exhibits the character of nickel.

Nickel-copper alloys are popular in the production of coins and machine parts. The alloy Konstantin, which contains almost 60% copper and the rest nickel, is used to create equipment of higher precision.

Consider an alloy with nickel and chromium. Nichromes. Resistant to corrosion, acids, heat resistant. Such alloys are used for jet engines and nuclear reactors, but only if they contain up to 80% nickel.

Let's move on to the third group of alloys. These are alloys with iron. They are divided into 4 types.

1. Heat resistant – resistant to high temperatures. This alloy contains almost 50% nickel. Here the combination can be with molybdenum, titanium, aluminum.
2. Magnetic - increase magnetic permeability, often used in electrical engineering.
3. Anti-corrosion - this alloy cannot be avoided in the production of chemical equipment, as well as when working in an aggressive environment. The alloy contains molybdenum.
4. An alloy that retains its dimensions and elasticity. Thermocouple in the furnace. This is where such an alloy comes in. When heated, the dimensions are maintained and elasticity is not lost. How much nickel is needed for the alloy to have such properties? The alloy should contain approximately 40% metal.

Nickel in everyday life

If you look around, you can understand that nickel alloys surround people everywhere. Let's start with the furniture. The alloy protects the furniture base from damage and harmful influences. Let's pay attention to the fittings. Be it for a window or a piece of furniture. It can be used for a long time and looks very nice.

Let's continue our excursion to the bathroom. There is no way without nickel here. Shower heads, faucets, mixers - all nickel plated. Thanks to this, you can forget what corrosion is. And there is no shame in looking at the product because it looks cute and supports the decor.

Nickel-plated parts are found in decorative structures.

Nickel cannot be called a minor metal. Various minerals and ores boast the presence of nickel. I am glad that such an element is present on our planet and even in the human body. Here he plays an important role in hematopoietic processes and even in DNA. Extensively used in technology. Nickel gained its dominance due to its chemical resistance in protecting coatings.

Nickel is a metal that has a great future. After all, in some areas it is indispensable.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/291533/nikel---eto-chto-takoe-svoystva-nikelya

Nickel

 Nickel is a simple substance, a ductile, malleable, transition metal of a silvery-white color; at ordinary temperatures in air it is covered with a thin film of oxide. Chemically inactive.

It belongs to heavy non-ferrous metals; it is not found in its pure form on earth - it is usually part of various ores, has high hardness, is well polished, is ferromagnetic - attracted by a magnet, in the periodic system of Mendeleev it is designated by the symbol Ni and has a 28th serial number.

STRUCTURE

It has a face-centered cubic lattice with a period a = 0.35238 å nm, space group Fm3m. This crystal structure is resistant to pressure of at least 70 GPa. Under normal conditions, nickel exists in the form of a b-modification, which has a face-centered cubic lattice (a = 3.5236 å).

But nickel subjected to cathode sputtering in an h2 atmosphere forms an a-modification, which has a hexagonal lattice of close packing (a = 2.65 å, c = 4.32 å), which transforms into a cubic lattice when heated above 200 °C.

Compact cubic nickel has a density of 8.9 g/cm3 (20 °C), atomic radius 1.24 å

PROPERTIES

Nickel is a malleable and malleable metal; it can be used to make very thin sheets and tubes. Tensile strength 400-500 Mn/m2, elastic limit 80 Mn/m2, yield strength 120 Mn/m2; relative elongation 40%; normal elastic modulus 205 H/m2; Brinell hardness 600-800 Mn/m2.

In the temperature range from 0 to 631K (the upper limit corresponds to the Curie point). The ferromagnetism of nickel is due to the structural features of the outer electron shells of its atoms.

Nickel is part of the most important magnetic materials and alloys with a minimum coefficient of thermal expansion (permalloy, monel metal, invar, etc.).

Reserves and production

Nickel is quite common in nature - its content in the earth's crust is about 0.01% (wt.). It is found in the earth's crust only in bound form; iron meteorites contain native nickel (up to 8%).

it is approximately 200 times higher in ultramafic rocks than in acidic rocks (1.2 kg/t and 8 g/t). In ultramafic rocks, the predominant amount of nickel is associated with olivines containing 0.13 - 0.41% Ni.

In plants there is an average of 5·10−5 weight percent of nickel, in marine animals - 1.6·10−4, in terrestrial animals - 1·10−6, in the human body - 12·10−6.

The bulk of nickel is obtained from garnierite and magnetic pyrite. Silicate ore is reduced with coal dust in rotating tube furnaces to iron-nickel pellets (5-8% Ni), which are then cleaned of sulfur, calcined and treated with an ammonia solution. After acidifying the solution, metal is obtained from it electrolytically.

Carbonyl method (Mond method): First, copper-nickel matte is obtained from sulfide ore, over which CO is passed under high pressure. Highly volatile tetracarbonylnickel [Ni(CO)4] is formed, the thermal decomposition of which produces a particularly pure metal.

Aluminothermal method for the recovery of nickel from oxide ore: 3NiO + 2Al = 3Ni +Al2O3

Source: http://mineralpro.ru/minerals/nickel/

Popular types of nickel-based alloys

Metal processing has been known to mankind for several thousand years. Along with homogeneous materials, mixtures with different characteristics began to appear. With the development of technological progress, man discovered more and more metal compounds. The best known are nickel-based alloys. They are used in various industries due to their characteristics and appearance.

Use in its pure form

Nickel is a silver-colored metal. It has high strength and ductility. It has ferromagnetic properties, is well welded, forged and stamped. Resistant to acids and alkalis. Will not oxidize in open air due to the oxide film.

Areas of application of the material in its pure form:

1. Used as a protective coating for other metal surfaces. In this case, the protective layer is applied using cladding or galvanoplasty methods. Protects other metals from corrosive processes.
2. Containers for storing and transporting chemicals, acids, and alkalis are made of metal.
3. It is often used as a catalyst. This is due to the catalytic properties of the material, which are similar to palladium. However, this metal is much cheaper.
4. Manufacturing of neutron beam choppers. Thanks to this, the metal became widespread in nuclear physics.

In addition to its use in the food and chemical industries, the pure material is used in the manufacture of alkaline batteries.

Peculiarities

Nickel and alloys based on it have certain features and characteristics. It is important to consider them before using them in industry.

Structure and composition

The structure of nickel-based alloys varies depending on what components are included in their composition. The characteristics of the finished material also depend on this.

This material is a silver-colored metal found in the earth's crust, water and air. In nature you can find not only a homogeneous metal, but also mixtures based on it. This is due to the fact that it combines well with other materials.

Common components in mixtures are iron, molybdenum, copper, chromium.

Properties and characteristics

The physical and chemical properties of a material help determine where it can be used and how it will change during certain processing steps. Characteristics:

1. Density - 8800 kg/m3.
2. Melting point - 1455 degrees Celsius.
3. Boiling point is about 2900 degrees.
4. Maximum tensile strength - 9000 MPa.
5. Thermal conductivity - 90.9 W/(m*K).
6. Electrical resistance - 0.0684 μOhm*m.

Due to their characteristics, nickel and mixtures based on it are used in various areas of industry. They lend themselves well to processing on industrial equipment, which expands their scope of application.

Stamps

According to the state document GOST 849-2008, 7 grades of nickel are designated. These include H0, H1,2,3,4, H1Ay and H1y. The composition of the brands is the content of the main substance up to 99.9%, a small amount of cobalt and third-party impurities.

Alloys

Nickel is the basis of many alloys. It is worth taking a closer look at the most popular compounds based on this metal.

With copper

The most popular compounds are nickel and copper. The result is a material that is not similar in its characteristics to the original metal. In the manufacture of metal mixtures, 3 popular compounds can be distinguished:

1. Monel is a material that contains approximately 67% nickel. Has a high strength index. It can be compared with different types of steels. Used in aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding, and in the manufacture of power tools. You can find monel parts in musical instruments.
2. Cupronickel is a well-known alloy whose main component is copper. Nickel in the composition can contain up to 30%. Used in the manufacture of jewelry, figurines, cutlery.
3. Copel is a mixture of 44% nickel. The wire from which compensation wires are made is made from it.

There are other mixtures with the addition of zinc, which have their own characteristics and characteristics.

With chrome

Compounds of chromium and nickel are known to many as nichrome. The peculiarity of this alloy is its high electrical resistance and high melting point. Nichrome also has good strength and heat capacity. Applications:

1. Manufacturing of parts for devices operating in aggressive environmental conditions.
2. Production of heating elements and equipment for heat treatment.
3. Nichrome wire is used in the manufacture of electric furnaces.
4. This alloy is used to make evaporation filaments used in electronic cigarettes.

If nichrome is coated with a silicon-based alloying layer, it can be used in the chemical industry. The additional coating makes the material resistant to acids.

With molybdenum and other metals

When combining nickel with molybdenum, chromium is added to the composition. The percentage of base metal reaches 77%. In this case, molybdenum in the composition can contain up to 9%. The rest is occupied by chromium. The peculiarity of the connection is its high strength and rigidity.

An alloy with molybdenum is used in medicine. Bridges are made from it. Difficult to process. It is almost impossible to make castings from such material. However, due to their characteristics and low cost, alloys with molybdenum are highly popular.

With iron

This mixture is called invar. It is a compound of iron and nickel. They use ready-made material in the manufacture of parts for mechanical watches.

Compound of iron and nickel

Application area

Pure metal is not used as often as nickel alloys. Application areas of alloys:

1. They are used in mechanical engineering, construction, and pipeline manufacturing. Massive structures are made from this metal and are protected from rust.
2. Parts for equipment that operates in aggressive environments. The alloys are resistant to acids, corrosive processes, and alkalis.
3. Alloys are used to make gas turbines.
4. In everyday life, products made from nickel alloys can be found in the form of furniture fittings, taps and mixers.
5. Nickel is part of the alloys that are used to make white gold.

Nickel-cadmium batteries are made from this material. Metal compounds are diverse and due to this they are used in various areas of industry.

Advantages and disadvantages

Nickel-based alloys have positive and negative sides.

Advantages:

1. Nickel-based heat-resistant alloys have high strength and hardness.
2. Corrosion resistance.
3. High electrical conductivity.
4. Good weldability.
5. High wear resistance.

Flaws:

1. The surface of the material is vulnerable to impacts. Cracks and chips may appear.
2. If a protective layer is applied to a foreign metal, it can be washed off with prolonged exposure to liquids.

Due to its characteristics, this material is used as a cheap analogue to expensive metals.

Nickel-based alloys are very popular in industry.
The characteristics of the material vary depending on the additives used to the base metal. Nickel is a Metal that Forms Superalloys!

Popular types of nickel-based alloys Link to main publication

Source: https://metalloy.ru/splavy/na-osnove-nikelya

Nickel - what kind of metal is it?

Nickel is a metal with atomic number 28. It is designated by the symbol Ni. It has a silvery-white tint and under normal conditions is covered with an oxide film. Due to its ductility, nickel is easily forged.

Physical properties

Nickel is ferromagnetic, meaning that at temperatures below the Curie point it is magnetized in the absence of an external magnetic field. For nickel, the Curie point is 358 ⁰C. Metal does not tarnish in open air.

Basic physical properties of nickel:

• The lattice structure is face-centered cubic.
• Density under normal conditions is 8.902 g/cm3.
• Melting point - 1453 ⁰С.
• The specific heat of fusion is 17.61 kJ/mol.
• Boiling point – 3000 ⁰С.
• The specific heat of evaporation is 378.6 kJ/mol.
• Molar heat capacity - 26.1 J/(K*mol)
• Specific heat capacity - 0.440 kJ/(kg*K).
• Thermal conductivity - 90.9 W/(m*K).
• Specific electrical resistance - 0.0684 μOhm*m.

Story

Nickel was officially discovered in 1751 by chemist Axel Cronstedt, who found it in cobalt earth. However, even earlier it was excavated in the mountains of Saxony. Miners used the nickel-containing ore to make glass.

Based on external signs, the Saxons initially mistook this ore for silver and tried to smelt it into the precious metal, but this did not work. In addition, when smelted, poisonous gas was released from the ore, which harmed miners.

Attempts to extract copper from this ore also failed.

As a result, at the end of the 17th century. The Saxons called the ore "kupfernickel", which translated means "copper devil". This is due to the fact that the miners considered the release of poisonous gas to be the machinations of evil spirits living in the mountains. It was kupfernickel that was studied by Axel Kronstedt in 1751. He obtained a green oxide from it and reduced it to a metal that was previously unknown to science. The chemist named this metal nickel.

In 1775, Thorbern Olaf Bergman obtained nickel in a purer form and described its properties in more detail. He found out that the composition of this metal is more similar to iron than to copper. At the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th centuries. Many chemists, starting with Joseph Louis Proust, studied nickel in detail. In 1804, the German chemist Jeremiah Benjamin Richter finally obtained pure metal, and nickel was finally established as a chemical element.

Biological role

Nickel is a trace element that is necessary for all living organisms. Its average content in plants is 0.00005%, in terrestrial animals - 0.000001%, in marine animals - 0.00016% of body weight.

The role of nickel in the body is not fully understood. It is known that it participates in enzymatic reactions and affects oxidative processes. It is found in the lungs, liver, muscles, pancreas and thyroid glands, and some parts of the brain. The trace element also accumulates in keratinized tissues of humans, animals and birds, including hair and feathers.

Excessive nickel content in plants leads to ugly forms, in animals - to various eye diseases (keratoconjunctivitis, keratitis).

Nickel vapors and dust are toxic and can cause damage to the skin, lungs and nasopharynx, and frequent inhalation of metal vapors is dangerous due to the appearance of malignant neoplasms.

Occurrence in nature and production

Most nickel is found in deep layers. In the earth's crust it is 0.0058%, in ultramafic rocks it is 0.2%. If we believe the hypothesis that the earth's core is composed of nickel iron, the total nickel content in the earth is approximately 3%. Nickel is also found in some meteorites.

In the earth's crust, this metal is adjacent to iron and magnesium, with which it has a similar valency. In magnesium and iron minerals, nickel is contained as an isomorphic impurity. There are also 53 nickel minerals known to science. Most of them were formed under the influence of pressure and high temperatures, for example, when magma solidified. Sulfide ores containing this metal contain copper. Some nickel ores include iron, sulfur, arsenic, cobalt, magnesium.

Most of this metal is mined in Russia. Large nickel mines are also found in Canada, Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia and Cuba.

Most nickel (about 80%) is obtained from sulfide copper-nickel ores, much less - from silicate (oxidized) ores.

Chemical properties

Nickel is chemically inactive. It forms a surface oxide film, which is why it is stable in the atmosphere, alkali, many acids and water. The metal does not corrode. Forms two oxides (NiO and Ni2O3) and two hydroxides (Ni(OH)2 and Ni(OH)3).

Nickel chloride, nitrate, sulfate and nitrate are four soluble salts. They have a yellow or yellow-brown tint and color solutions green. Nickel phosphate, oxalate and sulfides (black, green and bronze) are insoluble salts.

The metal absorbs gases (carbon, hydrogen and many others), which worsen its mechanical properties. It interacts with oxygen at temperatures above 500 ⁰С.

In a finely dispersed state, nickel spontaneously ignites in air. When heated, it combines with halogens. It forms a sulfide when burned in sulfur, and when NiO oxide is heated with sulfur, a monosulfide is obtained. The metal also reacts with nitric acid to form nickel nitrate and nitric oxide.

In terms of chemical properties, it is most similar to iron and cobalt, and to a lesser extent to noble metals and copper. It burns only in powder form and exhibits variable valence in compounds (most often divalent). Forms complex and coordination compounds.

Application

The widest area of ​​application of nickel is the production of alloys of various metals. It is fused:

• With steel. This increases the chemical resistance of the alloy: all stainless steels contain nickel.
• With iron. This alloy has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, due to which it is successfully used for the manufacture of various parts for electrical appliances.
• With cobalt and magnesium. A heat-resistant alloy is formed that can withstand high temperatures up to 500 ⁰C and is resistant to corrosion.
• With gold and silver. This so-called “white gold” is a durable jewelry alloy.
• With chrome. As a result, nichrome is formed - a heat-resistant, creep-resistant, ductile alloy that holds its shape well.
• With iron, copper and chrome. This alloy is characterized by high magnetic susceptibility.

Nickel alloys have a high degree of toughness, which is why they are used in the manufacture of armor. Many alloys are used in gas turbine units and nuclear reactor structures. They are also used to make heating elements and coins. Alloys are widely used in the production of batteries.

Nickel is also used in its pure form: pipes, sheets, etc. are made from it, and in chemical laboratories it serves as a catalyst for many reactions. Specialized chemical equipment is also made from metal. Nickel oxide is used in the production of glass, ceramics and glazes. Nickel plating is used for many metals - creating a nickel coating to protect against corrosion.

Nickel is used to make coils of electronic cigarettes, and it is used to wrap the strings of musical instruments. In medicine, this element is used for prosthetics and the manufacture of braces.

Source: https://ferrolabs.ru/blog/nikel/

Concept and features of nickel as a building material

Nickel is an element of group 10 of the D.I. table. Mendeleev. Known relatively recently, also recently used in industry. Nickel received its name from the name of the malicious gnome, who, instead of native copper and copper ore, threw the mineral nickel, including nickel and arsenic, to the miners. In those ancient times they did not know how to use nickel, so the “fake” metal began to be called “mischief” from the German Nickel.

And today we will look at the physical and chemical properties and uses of nickel, give it a general description, and study nickel alloys and grades.

It is a transition metal, that is, it exhibits both acidic and alkaline properties. It has a silvery-white luster, ductile, malleable, but hard. The molecular weight is small - 28, so it is classified as a light substance.

This video will tell you about the features of nickel as a metal:

From a chemical point of view, nickel is a very interesting and unusual metal. On the one hand, it is able to react with both acids and alkalis, but on the other hand, it is chemically inert and even refuses to react with concentrated alkalis and acids. Moreover, this property is so pronounced that nickel is used in the manufacture of various acid-resistant equipment and tanks for alkalis.

The metal is smelted and then used in the form of rods, sheets, and so on. And in this state it exhibits the usual metallic properties of a low-active substance. But nickel converted into a very fine powder becomes pyrophoric and is capable of self-ignition in air.

The secret is that an ordinary substance in air, like aluminum, for example, is covered with an oxide film, and this film acts as a very strong protective layer.

This quality determines one of the oldest uses of metal - nickel plating, that is, applying the thinnest layer of nickel to the surface of objects. This layer completely protects steel, cast iron, magnesium, aluminum and so on from corrosion.

Products made from pure nickel are rare and are used only in particularly critical areas. Its use in industry is due to another unique quality: in the alloy, nickel imparts to the material the same excellent corrosion resistance that it itself possesses. Most stainless and structural steels include nickel as an alloying component. It is this that ensures the strength of steel and its durability.

Nickel-based alloys are very diverse and have remarkable properties: strength, heat resistance, the ability to withstand high force loads at high temperatures, wear resistance, insensitivity to chemically aggressive substances, and so on. Of the total volume of the extracted substance, about 9% is used in its pure form. Another 7% is spent on nickel plating, and the rest is spent on producing alloys.

Nickel forms the iron triad with iron and cobalt. The group also includes platinum - osmium, platinum, rhodium. However, despite their relative proximity, the properties of metals differ markedly. In terms of strength, nickel is not much inferior to iron, it has even a higher density, but unlike the latter it is very resistant to corrosion, while iron quickly corrodes in air, and especially when in contact with water.

Compared to platinum metals, nickel is much lighter, much cheaper and much more active: platinum, osmium and others are noble metals that have a positive electrode potential and are extremely inert.

The following is a description of the advantages and disadvantages of nickel.

Advantages and disadvantages

Almost all the properties of nickel in relation to the national economy are advantages. The only disadvantage of metal is its presence in nature. Nickel is considered a common element, but is found only in a bound form. Native nickel falls to earth only as part of meteorites. Accordingly, metal is obtained using more expensive technologies.

• Nickel has good strength and hardness, while maintaining the ability to forge and high toughness: it can be used to produce the thinnest sheets and rods.
• The metal has excellent corrosion resistance. Moreover, it transfers this quality to alloys, which it contains as an alloying element.
• Nickel-based alloys are very diverse and have exceptional qualities. Thus, heat-resistant iron-nickel alloys are used in the manufacture of parts of nuclear reactors and jet engines. To date, about 3,000 different nickel alloys have been described and used.
• Nickel coating is still actively used not only in instrument and machine tool manufacturing, but also in everyday life and in construction. Nickel-plated dishes, cutlery, accessories, etc. are not only aesthetically attractive, but also absolutely hygienic, harmless and extremely durable. The inertness and hygiene of the metal determines its use in the food industry.
• Nickel is a ferromagnet, that is, a substance prone to spontaneous magnetization. This property allows the metal to be used to produce permanent magnets.
• The metal is relatively cheap to obtain and has good electrical conductivity characteristics. Nickel replaces expensive silver or dangerous lead in battery production.

The structure and chemical composition of nickel are discussed below.

Structure and composition

Nickel, like other pure metals, has a homogeneous, well-ordered structure, which provides these substances with the ability to conduct current. However, the phase composition of the material can be different, which affects its properties.

• Under normal conditions, we are dealing with the β-modification of nickel. It is characterized by a face-centered cubic lattice and determines the usual properties of metal - malleability, ductility, machinability, ferromagnetism, and so on.
• There is also another type of material. Nickel subjected to cathode sputtering in a hydrogen atmosphere does not react, but also changes its structure, turning into the α-modification. The latter has a dense hexagonal lattice. When heated to 200 C, the α-phase transforms into the β-phase. In industry, they deal with the β-modification of nickel.

Next, the main properties and characteristics of nickel as a chemical element and as a metal are considered.

This video will tell you how to convert a nickel-cadmium battery to a lithium-ion battery yourself:

The characteristics of the β-phase, as the main one, are of greater interest, since the very existence of the α-phase is limited. The properties of the metal are:

• density at normal temperature – 8.9 g/cu. cm;
• melting point – 1453 C;
• boiling point – 3000 C;
• very low coefficient of thermal expansion – 13.5∙10−6 K−1
• elastic modulus – 196–210 GPa;
• The elastic limit is 80 MN/sq. m;
• yield strength – 120 MN/sq. m:
• tensile limit 40–50 kgf/sq. mm;
• specific heat capacity of the substance – 0.440 kJ/(kg K);
• thermal conductivity – 90.1 W/(m K);
• specific electrical resistance – 0.0684 µOhm∙m.

Nickel is ferromagnetic, its Curie point is 358 C.

We will talk about the manufacture and manufacturer of nickel alloys below.

Production

Nickel is considered quite common - 13th among metals. However, its distribution is somewhat specific. It is not for nothing that the metal is called an element of the earth’s depths, since in ultramafic rocks it is 200 times more abundant than in acidic rocks. According to one common theory, the earth's core consists of nickel iron.

Native nickel does not occur on Earth. In bound form, it is present in copper-nickel ores - arsenic-containing and sulfide. This is nickel - red nickel pyrite, the same one that miners mistook for copper ore, chloanthite - white nickel pyrite, garnierite, copper pyrite, and so on.

The feedstock is most often sulfide ore, which includes both copper and nickel, so the production scheme includes additional stages for separating the metals.

• Sulfide ores usually contain a lot of moisture and clay substances. To get rid of them, the ore is crushed, dried and briquetted. If the sulfur content in the ore is too high, it is roasted.
• Matte smelting is carried out in shaft or reverberatory furnaces. An alloy of nickel and iron sulfide is obtained, including a small amount of copper.
• Separation of nickel and copper.
• Roasting of nickel concentrate, reduction smelting and refining by electrolysis.

The method for obtaining nickel from oxidized ore looks somewhat different.

• The ore is subjected to sulfidizing smelting with partial reduction.
• Receive matte - the molten matte is blown with air in converters.
• Feinstein is fired and cleared of copper;
• Then the nickel is reduced or the burnt nickel is melted into ferronickel.

How much does 1 kg of nickel cost? Prices for such metal are largely determined by the success of the exploitation of deposits. Thus, in 2013, China increased the production of nickel-containing pig iron, which led to a noticeable drop in metal prices. In autumn 2016, the cost of a ton of metal was $10,045.

Nickel itself is rarely used. The scope of application of its alloys is much wider.

• In everyday life, people most often come across nickel-plated products - taps, mixers, furniture fittings. Metal parts of furniture are often coated with a layer of silvery, non-tarnishing metal. The same goes for cutlery and crockery.
• Another known use is white gold. It consists of gold of a certain standard and a nickel alloy.
• Nickel cathodes are widely used in electrical engineering. Numerous batteries are nickel-cadmium. Nickel-zinc, iron-nickel and so on compete with lead batteries and are much safer.

However, the main consumer of nickel is non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy: 67% of all mined metal is used to produce stainless steels. And 17% - for the production of other, non-iron alloys.

• Structural and stainless steel are used literally everywhere: construction and mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and pipeline manufacturing, instrument making and the construction of load-bearing frames. It is nickel that gives steels their resistance to corrosion.
• Nickel-copper alloys are most often used in the manufacture of acid-resistant equipment and various parts that must operate in aggressive chemical environments.
• Nickel and chromium alloys are famous for their heat resistance and resistance to alkalis and acids. They are used in furnaces, nuclear reactors, engines, and so on.
• Alloys of nickel, chromium and iron, in addition, remain resistant to high loads at very high temperatures - up to 900 C. This is an indispensable material for gas turbines.

Nickel is a metal with amazing properties. Durable, malleable, resistant to acids and alkalis and capable of imparting these properties to almost any alloy. It's no surprise that nickel is used so widely.

A simple and reliable way to restore nickel-cadmium batteries is discussed in the video below:

Source: http://stroyres.net/metallicheskie/vidyi/tsvetnyie/nikel/ponyatie-osobennosti-svoystva.html

Metal nickel

Rolled metal calculator

Nickel is a heat-resistant, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant metal, which determines its use as a structural material for products exposed to various aggressive environments, including at elevated temperatures, as well as those subject to mechanical loads at high temperatures. In addition, nickel is a popular alloying element for steels and alloys. The page provides a description of this metal: physical properties, applications, nickel grades, types of products.

Nickel (Ni) (Niccolum) is a chemical element with atomic number 28 in the periodic table, a malleable and ductile metal. It has a silver color with a yellowish tint, is well polished, and is attracted by a magnet. The density of nickel is 8.902 g/cm3, melting point tmelt. = 1453°С, boiling point tboil. = 2730-2915°C, this metal is ferromagnetic, the Curie point is about 358°C. nickel in air . The surface of nickel is covered with a thin film of NiO oxide, which firmly protects the metal from further oxidation.

In the earth's crust, the nickel content is about 8·10-3% by mass. It is possible that enormous quantities of nickel - about 17 1019 tons - are contained in the Earth's core, which, according to one common hypothesis, consists of an iron-nickel alloy. In sea water, the nickel content is approximately 1·10-8-5·10-8%.

For the first time, the presence of nickel in the compound of nickel and arsenic NiAs (“kupfernickel”) was discovered by the Swedish metallurgist A.F. Kronstedt in 1751. Then nickel was classified as a “semi-metal” - a simple substance that has both the properties of metals and non-metals.

This point of view has been seriously questioned. But in 1775, the Swede T. Bergman proved that nickel is a simple substance. The final approval of nickel occurred in 1804, when the German chemist I.

Richter obtained pure nickel by reducing nickel sulfate.

Chemical properties of nickel

Property Nickel

Covalent radius, pm	115
Ion radius, pm	(+2e) 69
Electronegativity (according to Pauling):	1,91
Electrode potential:	0
Oxidation states:	3, 2, 0

Nickel and alloy grades

Modern industry produces a large number of different grades of nickel.

• H0, H1 - primary nickel, Ni+Co content - no less than 99.99% and 99.93%, respectively. Nickel of these grades is produced in the form of cathode sheets, plates, and strips. These products are obtained using electrolysis.
• H2, H3, H4 - primary nickel, Ni+Co content - not less than 99.8%, 98.6% and 97.6%, respectively. Nickel of these grades is produced in the form of plates, strips, cathode sheets, granules, edges and ingots. These products are obtained using electrolysis, remelting, pressing of nickel waste, and fire refining.
• NP1, NP2, NP3, NP4 - semi-finished nickel, Ni+Co content - not less than 99.99%, 99.5%, 99.3% and 99.0%, respectively. Nickel of the given grades is produced in the form of nickel wire, rods, sheets, strips and tapes.
• NPA1, NPA2 - semi-finished anode nickel, Ni+Co content - no less than 99.7%, 99.0%, respectively. Nickel of the presented grades is produced in the form of sheets and rods.
• NPAN - semi-finished anodic non-passivating nickel (a thin film with high resistance does not form on the surface of products made of nickel of this grade), Ni+Co content - no less than 99.4%. Nickel of this grade is produced in the form of rods and sheets.
• NK0.2 - Silicon nickel, Ni+Co content - not less than 99.4%. Nickel of this grade is produced in the form of wire.
• NMC1, NMC2, NMC2.5, NMC5 - manganese nickel, contains up to 98.5% Ni+Co (grade NMC1). Nickel of the given grades is produced in the form of wire.

Advantages:
• has high heat resistance and heat resistance;
• has high corrosion resistance in many aggressive environments.

Flaws:
• has a high cost.

Nickel is for the most part a constituent component of various alloys. All stainless steels necessarily contain nickel, since nickel increases the chemical resistance of the alloy. Nickel alloys are also characterized by high toughness and are used in the manufacture of durable armor. In the manufacture of the most important parts of various devices, a nickel-iron alloy (36-38% nickel) is used, which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion. In the manufacture of electromagnet cores, alloys under the general name permalloy are widely used. These alloys, in addition to iron, contain from 40 to 80% nickel. Coins are minted from nickel alloys. The total number of different nickel alloys in practical use reaches several thousand. Various metals are nickel-plated to protect them from corrosion. A thin nickel layer is applied to the metal, which is highly corrosion resistant. At the same time, nickel plating gives the products a beautiful appearance.

Nickel is widely used in the manufacture of various chemical equipment, in shipbuilding, in electrical engineering, in the manufacture of alkaline batteries, and for many other purposes.

Specially prepared dispersed nickel is widely used as a catalyst for a wide variety of chemical reactions.

Nickel oxides are used in the production of ferritic materials and as pigments for glass, glazes and ceramics; oxides and some salts serve as catalysts for various processes. Production of iron-nickel, nickel-cadmium, nickel-zinc, nickel-hydrogen batteries.

Modern industry produces a variety of nickel products. The most common are nickel wire and thread, tape and foil, rods and circles, sheets and strips, tubes, and powder.

Nickel anodes, which are used for nickel plating of the surfaces of various products, have become quite widely used in industry. Nickel powder is also used for nickel plating.

Another type of nickel sheet, cathodes, is used as a charge in the production of nickel-containing alloys. In addition to cathodes, nickel powder is also used as an alloying additive to the alloy.

In general, nickel products are actively used in those areas of industry that place increased demands on the corrosion resistance of materials in aggressive environments.

Source: https://www.metotech.ru/nikel-opisanie.htm

What is nickel | Features and application of the alloy

Nickel is a ductile and malleable metal that has a silvery-white color and, under normal conditions, is covered with an oxide film that protects against the negative effects of oxidation. Due to its excellent technical characteristics, the material has found wide application in industry. What are the features of this metal, and what is nickel needed for? We will talk about this in our article.

Classification of alloys, or What nickel contains

Today, the material is divided into a number of brands:

• HO, H1 is a primary metal that contains at least 99.99% nickel and at least 99.93% cobalt. To obtain it, the electrolysis method is used.
• H2, H3, H4 - Nickel and cobalt content is 99.8%, 98.7% and 97.6%. To obtain these alloys, electrolysis, smelting of nickel scrap and fire refining are used.
• HP1, HP2, HP3, HP4 - semi-finished material that contains 99.99%, 99.5%, 99.3% and 99.0% Ni and Co. Produced in the form of wire, sheets and tapes.
• NPA1, NPA2 is an anodic nickel alloy, the content of which is not less than 99.7%. The material is produced in the form of sheets and rods.
• HPAH is a semi-finished non-passivable alloy. metal - 99.4%.
• HK0.2 - siliceous composition, including 99.4%. Produced in wire form.
• NMts1, NMts2, NMts2.5, NMts5 - manganese alloy, which includes no more than 98.5% Ni.

What is nickel known for: technical features

Nickel is a metal that is widely used due to its excellent technical characteristics. Its main feature is its ability to react with alkalis and acids, while maintaining its chemical inertness.

This ability allows the material to be used for the production of acid-proof equipment and tanks. It is also important to note that alloys are produced, usually in the form of sheets, wire or rods.

But the material, crushed to a fine powder, can spontaneously ignite in air.

Another feature is excellent corrosion resistance. It is for this reason that the nickel plating technique is often used in production (this is the application of non-ferrous metal nickel to the surface of objects). In addition, the material is often used as an alloying component for alloys, thereby ensuring durability and high resistance to moisture.

Advantages of metal

As noted above, the material is characterized by excellent technical performance. What other advantages does it have?

• Quite high strength and resistance to mechanical damage;
• Good malleability, flexibility and thermal conductivity;
• Resistance to moisture and high temperatures;
• Durability;
• Low cost;

What is made from nickel

As a rule, pure metal is used quite rarely, but its alloys are used in a wide variety of industries and production. One of the main directions is the production of high-alloy stainless steel. The alloy of nickel, chromium and iron has excellent strength and oxidation resistance. In addition, the compositions retain their qualities under prolonged exposure to high temperatures.

What is made from nickel? Alloys based on this material are indispensable in the food industry, aircraft and mechanical engineering, petrochemistry, etc. Nickel-containing steel has proven itself well in the construction industry. The material is used for the manufacture of entrance groups, fences, railings and other structures. You may also encounter it in everyday life: it is actively used in the production of taps, furniture fittings, mixers, etc.

Find out more about what is made from nickel and what kind of metal it is on our website.

Source: http://www.CvetMetLom.ru/info-metal/chto-takoe-nikel-osobennosti-czvetnogo-metalla

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

Nickel: metal characteristics, properties and practical application

page » Nickel: characteristics of the metal, properties and application in practice

Nickel (Ni, atomic number 28) is a chemical element, one atom of which contains 28 protons, 28 electrons and from 30 to 36 neutrons, depending on the isotope. There are five stable isotopes: 58 (68%), 60 (26%), 62 (4%), 61 (1%), 64 (about 1%). The melting point of nickel is 1450°C, the relative atomic mass is 58.69 with a density of 8.9.

In ordinary life, the existence of this metal can be reminded by cupronickel coins - money that is widespread in society, or rechargeable batteries of mobile phones, which one often has to deal with.

However, this is only a small part of the total mass of common uses of the metal, which is incomparable in value to gold, silver and other chemical elements.

General view of nickel as a metal

Nickel, of course, is inferior in value to gold and silver, and is not valued at such a high level as, for example, high-tech aerospace metals - aluminum and titanium. However, metal also has applications in the same aerospace and other areas. Let's take a closer look at this chemical element to gain comprehensive information for potential use.

Nickel was widely used in alloys (such as cupronickel) for thousands of years, but was only recognized as a chemical element in 1751. The first mention of this chemical element belongs to the Swedish chemist - Baron Axel Frederik Kronstedt.

This is roughly what mineral-containing ore looks like, niccolite, from which rock miners once tried to extract copper, but got a completely different result.

It was this scientist who was the first to obtain a pure substance from a reddish ore - niccolite.

The mineral-bearing rock niccolite gets its name due to its appearance, reminiscent of copper ore. However, this mineral does not contain real copper. In the early stages of mining, miners trying to extract copper from such ore called the product "Old Nick".

This slightly modified name (niccolite) remained the same in the future.

The modern representation of chemical elements by Mendeleev's periodic table shows nickel among the transition elements (metals) of group 10. The chemical element is quite similar in composition to iron in some respects, and very similar to copper in other respects. In principle, this is not surprising, given that nickel is located exactly in the middle between these metals in the periodic table.

Potential mining and production areas

Among the chemical elements of the earth's crust, nickel is considered a completely common component, but a significant proportion of this substance is located beyond the boundaries of the earthly world in the literal sense. Thus, almost all meteorites that have ever fallen to Earth have traditionally contained nickel.

A meteorite fragment containing a high percentage of nickel. As a rule, the analysis of almost all meteorite fragments is confirmed by positive test results

It is a fairly common metal among the most common elements in the earth's crust, having an occurrence rating of 22 (about twice as common as copper).

Most nickel is mined from a range of mineral-bearing ores:

• pentlandite and pyrrhotite (iron-nickel sulfides are the two most important nickel ores),
• garnierite (hydrous silicate),
• Millerite (sulfide)
• niccolite (arsenide).

The leading nickel producers are the following countries:

• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Canada
• New Caledonia

Australia and Russia demonstrate slightly reduced production volumes. The United States comes next, despite the country's lack of active nickel mines. Relatively little nickel is mined by US industries as a by-product from copper and palladium-platinum mines. Global nickel reserves as a whole amount to approximately 130 million tons on land, and much larger volumes on the ocean floor, based on this figure.

One of the mines in New Caledonia, where ore is actively mined for the industrial sector. At the industrial production level, processing into pure metal or alloys is carried out

Like some other metals, a chemical element can be extracted from ore using:

• smelting technology (heating inside a blast furnace),
• electrolysis (splitting ore into components by passing an electric current through a solution),
• by interaction with acids (Mond process).

Physical and chemical properties of nickel

Nickel is characterized by a typical metal: hard at everyday temperatures, fairly durable and strong, malleable (workable) and ductile (stretched into wire). The metal is easily polished, demonstrates good performance as a conductor of heat and electricity, and has sufficient magnetic properties.

In terms of strength and toughness, nickel is similar to iron (though less magnetic). At the same time, the metal is significantly more resistant to the effects of corrosion and oxidation (therefore, in this regard, it is more similar to copper). Nickel crystals have a face-centered cubic structure.

This is what millerite looks like externally - a mineral-containing ore, from which a popular chemical element is also extracted and subsequently processed into a pure product or alloys

Among the chemical properties, relatively low reactivity stands out. The metal reacts to strong acids, but remains neutral in reaction to alkalis. This is why nickel is often used to line containers for alkaline substances.

The use of a chemical element for different needs

The vast majority of metal produced is used as a component of alloys. Only a relatively small volume of production is used as pure nickel. Globally, approximately two-thirds of all metal produced is used in the stainless steel production process.

Sufficiently hard and corrosion-resistant, nickel steel (nickel content about 3%) is an important component in the production of a wide range of automotive parts (spare parts), including valves and drive shafts of various types.

Non-ferrous alloys (where there is no iron content) are also a common material where nickel is used. Cupronickel (coin making) is one example of an alloy containing three quarters copper and one quarter nickel.

Other nickel alloys include shape memory nitinol, which combines nickel with titanium (for example, eyeglass frames). There is also a wide range of high-tech aerospace “superalloys” (operating at very high temperatures).

Turbine impeller with blades treated with nickel coating for additional protection and enhanced performance properties

Turbine blades (used in the construction of jet engines and steam turbines), as a rule, are treated with nickel sputtering in order to impart greater strength and provide a protective coating for corrosion resistance. The chemical element is also used:

• for galvanic metals,
• in powder form for the production of catalysts (substances that accelerate chemical reactions),
• for the production of nickel mesh for printing on textiles, etc.

Important nickel compounds include nitrates, chlorides, sulfates, used in electroplating. Nickel oxides are used in the construction of batteries and fuel cells. Nickel ferrites are widely used for the manufacture of electromagnetic parts of power transformers and other electrical equipment.

With the help of information: Raefkobeissi

Source: https://zetsila.ru/%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D1%85%D0%B0%D1%80%D0% B0%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D0%B5 %D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B0/