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Now that we’ve gone through some of the physical properties of nickel alloys, let’s take a closer look at their chemical properties:

Xometry provides many manufacturers with all sorts of alloys and other metals, and relevant services. We have a wide range of manufacturing capabilities, including 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, and many more. If you’d like to learn more about nickel alloys or request a free no-obligation quote, reach out to a Xometry representative today.

Not all metals can be mixed with nickel, but some of the most common elements are iron, chromium, aluminum, molybdenum, copper, cobalt, and titanium. To make nickel alloys, you’d have to follow the same process used for pretty much every other metal alloy. The alloying elements need to be decided on, and their ratios need to be carefully chosen. Once that’s done, the elements are all melted together in something like an arc furnace, which also purifies them, and then the alloy is cast into ingots, and off to be formed using either cold or hot processing.

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Nickel alloys, also known as high-performance alloys, are metals that contain some nickel in their elemental makeup to improve some of their properties and make them better suited for applications outside their typical wheelhouse. Let’s look at everything to do with nickel alloys, including where they’re used, the different types, and their characteristics and physical properties.

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Nickel alloys are typically reserved for high-performance applications because they tend to be more expensive than other types of metal. As we’ve seen, nickel alloys are usually strong and tough, and that can make them a pain to machine. If you’re interested in machining this type of alloy, you’ll probably need extra tools.

After James Riley made an iron-chromium alloy in 1913, W. H. Hatfield figured out that adding nickel to these alloys would make them incredibly corrosion-resistant. This led to the creation of what we now know as austenitic stainless steel.

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It’s believed that the first nickel alloy was used in 200 BCE in China. That’s the earliest record available, and the material was referred to as “white copper,” which experts believe was an alloy of nickel and silver. Fast forward to 1751, A. F. Cronstedt, a German scientist, managed to isolate nickel from the niccolite mineral. Copper and zinc were often found in these first nickel alloys, which came to be known as “German silver” and weren’t really used for anything other than ornaments.

It’s generally quite hard to differentiate nickel alloys from other types of metals. Nickel alloys can seem slightly dull when their surface is rough, but when it’s smooth, they can be shiny and reflective. Here’s an example of what copper-nickel alloy rods look like:

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In this table, we break down and compare the physical properties associated with some of the most common types of nickel alloys:

If a metal contains nickel as one of its primary elements, it’s classified as a nickel alloy. Some types of nickel alloys are even classed as “superalloys” because, if you compare them to other metals, their oxidation and creep resistance is off the charts and allows them to be used at temperatures of over half their melting points. Although not all superalloys are nickel alloys, the vast majority of them are nickel-based. Here’s an image of a nickel alloy in use:

Their high melting points can make them difficult to weld, but it’s not impossible. If you want to create a sufficient pool of weld metal, you’ll need more heat, but if you use more heat, there’s more chance of residual stress which can deform the component. Basically, it needs a lot of care. When in long-term contact with the skin, some nickel alloys can cause an allergic reaction. That’s why they’re probably not the best choice for wearables and medical devices. Also, when exposed to the elements, some nickel alloys (especially copper-based) will tarnish over time.