Nickel Metal Supplier

Nickel Properties and Appearance

Nickel is a chemical element with the symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight hint of golden color. Nickel belongs to the transition metals group and is hard and ductile. Nickel and its alloys are important because they can withstand extreme high temperatures and high stresses.

Nickel is known to have good resistance to corrosion in different environments such as in natural freshwaters, normal atmospheres, and non oxidizing acids. It is resistant to caustic alkali corrosives. Nickel is an excellent base on which to develop specialized alloys that can further improve the unique properties of alloying elements and it is commonly added to stainless steel to improve weldability, resistance, and formability. Nickel can be fully recycled.

Pure Nickel >99% (200, 201, 205, 233, 270). Pure Nickel is known to be tough and ductile, possessing a face-centered cubic structure up to its 1,453 degrees Celsius melting point. It shows excellent corrosion resistance in alkaline solutions such as caustic soda and shows outstanding resistance against highly pure halogen gas and non-oxidizing acids.

Nickel Applications

Nickel is used in a wide range of alloys and also in industrial coatings for both functional and decorative applications through electroplating. Nickel coatings are used to improve heat, corrosion and wear resistance to equipment and materials. It is often used in the chemical field and electronics and stands up well in marine environments.

Other examples of the end-use of Nickel and its alloy applications are the following:

• Electrical equipment (electric ovens and toasters
• Desalination plants
• Armor
• Turbine blades and boat propeller shafts
• Batteries and coinage
• Glass coloring
• Catalysts in energy and power
• Engineering and metal goods
• Transportation, building, and construction
• Electronics, healthcare, and consumer products

Nickel Formats supplied:

Vulcan Metal Group supplies nickel in  bar, plate, coil, tube and sheet. Custom machined and finished parts supplied to print.

Please contact us for a quote or more on how Vulcan Metal Group can help your business.

Nickel – Did You Know?

• Nickel was discovered in 1751 by Swedish chemist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt and named after a mischievous sprite from folklore said to cause trouble for miners by hiding valuable ores.
• Nickel was initially considered a useless by-product of copper mining and was often discarded.
• Nickel is now a key component in the production of stainless steel, which is widely used in construction, kitchen utensils, and medical equipment due to its corrosion resistance and durability. Some nickel alloys, such as Invar and Kovar, have low thermal expansion coefficients, making them ideal for use in scientific instruments, optical devices, and electronics requiring precise measurements and dimensional stability.
• The United States five-cent coin known as the “nickel” originated from the historical use of nickel in the coin’s composition whilst nickel is used in products from allergen free jewelry, wires in dental braces, heart valves and guitar strings.
• Nickel is also utilized in the form of superalloys for turbine engines for its high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance properties as well as being an essential component in rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) formats.