Intermediate alloy-like mixture

In addition to its importance in alloys (for example, alnico, vicalloy, and stellite), cobalt is of use as a catalyst in the Fisher-Tropsch process in which carbon monoxide is hydrogenated to a mixture of hydrocarbons. It appears likely here that one or more carbonyl derivatives of cobalt act as intermediates. Nickel is of importance in a number of alloys Monel metal, alnico, stainless steel, etc.). In a very finely divided state Raney nickel), it is of use to the organic chemist in hydrogenation reactions, for it will absorb large quantities of hydrogen gas with probable breakage of the molecules to atoms (p. 27). 

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