Nickel behaviour

Evidence of the organic nature of the substance may, be provided by the behaviour of the compound when heated on porcelain or platinum or other comparatively inert metal (e.g., nickel) the substance is inflammable, burns with a more or less smoky flame, chars and leaves a black residue consisting largely of carbon (compare Ignition Test above). 

R. Zeller, Loccd magnetic behaviour of transition-metal impurities in nickel , J.Phys. F17 2123 (1987). 

Metals which owe their good corrosion resistance to the presence of thin, passive or protective surface films may be susceptible to pitting attack when the surface film breaks down locally and does not reform. Thus stainless steels, mild steels, aluminium alloys, and nickel and copper-base alloys (as well as many other less common alloys) may all be susceptible to pitting attack under certain environmental conditions, and pitting corrosion provides an excellent example of the way in which crystal defects of various kinds can affect the integrity of surface films and hence corrosion behaviour. 

Myers, J. R., Crow, W. B., Beck, F. H. and Saxer, R. K., Observation on the Anodic Behaviour of Nickel and Chromium Surface Topography and Temperature Effect , Corrosion, 22, 32 (1966)... 

Zamin, M. and Ives, M. B., Effect of Chloride Ion Concentration on the Anodic Dissolution Behaviour of Nickel , Corrosion, 29, 319 (1973)... 

Fig. 1.95 Effect of sulphide and ferrous additions on the behaviour of 70/30 cupro nickel in...

Soluble corrosion products may increase corrosion rates in two ways. Firstly, they may increase the conductivity of the electrolyte solution and thereby decrease internal resistance of the corrosion cells. Secondly, they may act hygroscopically to form solutions at humidities at and above that in equilibrium with the saturated solution (Table 2.7). The fogging of nickel in SO2-containing atmospheres, due to the formation of hygroscopic nickel sulphate, exemplifies this type of behaviour. However, whether the corrosion products are soluble or insoluble, protective or non-protective, the... 

Fig. 2.25 Type 3 behaviour maximum corrosion rate with change in concentration, e.g. nickel and chromium steel in H2SO4. Iso-corrosion lines at 0.1 g m h" ...

The basic corrosion behaviour of stainless steels is dependent upon the type and quantity of alloying. Chromium is the universally present element but nickel, molybdenum, copper, nitrogen, vanadium, tungsten, titanium and niobium are also used for a variety of reasons. However, all elements can affect metallurgy, and thus mechanical and physical properties, so sometimes desirable corrosion resisting aspects may involve acceptance of less than ideal mechanical properties and vice versa. 

Fig. 3.36 Effect of nickel on the anodic behaviour of iron alloys in 1 N H2SO4 at 25°C. Curve 1 Fe curve 2 Fe-lONi Curve 4 Ni (after Beauchamp )...

The corrosion behaviour of amorphous alloys has received particular attention since the extraordinarily high corrosion resistance of amorphous iron-chromium-metalloid alloys was reported. The majority of amorphous ferrous alloys contain large amounts of metalloids. The corrosion rate of amorphous iron-metalloid alloys decreases with the addition of most second metallic elements such as titanium, zirconium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium and platinum . The addition of chromium is particularly effective. For instance amorphous Fe-8Cr-13P-7C alloy passivates spontaneously even in 2 N HCl at ambient temperature ". (The number denoting the concentration of an alloy element in the amorphous alloy formulae is the atomic percent unless otherwise stated.)... 

Many investigators have studied the anodic behaviour of nickel. A complete discussion of the reactions occurring during anodic dissolution and passivation of the metal is outside the scope of this chapter, which is confined to a brief summary of the main features of practical significance. 

The influence of temperature on the anodic behaviour of nickel has been studied, and in acidic and neutral solutions the active-passive transition is not observed at temperatures greater than about 100°C (Fig. 4.21). 

Fig. 4.21 Effect of temperature on the anodic behaviour of nickel in 0 025 m H2SO4 -I-0-025 M K2SO4 (pH 1 -3) de-aerated with H2. The curves were determined potentiokinetically at a scan rate of 2 V/h and proceeding from negative to positive (after Cowan and Staehle )...

As with most other metals, the anodic behaviour of nickel is influenced by the composition of the solution in which measurements are made, particularly if the solution is acidic. Acidic solutions containing d ions or certain sulphur compounds in particular have a pronounced influence both in increasing the rate of anodic dissolution in the active range and in preventing passivation, and in stimulating localised corrosion . Thiourea and some of its derivatives have a complex effect, acting either as anodic stimulators or inhibitors, depending on their concentration . 

During recent years a considerable amount of information has been published on the anodic behaviour of nickel alloys. The data include studies both of binary alloy systems in which nickel forms the major alloying component and of more complex commercially produced nickel alloys. The data are sufficiently numerous to permit a rational and fairly complete interpretation of many of the corrosion-resistant properties of nickel alloys on the basis of their anodic behaviour. 

Table 4.24 Influence of alloying on anodic behaviour of nickel...

The influence of minor alloying elements and the effect of formation of other phases on the anodic behaviour of nickel alloys are thus not negligible and should not be ignored. 

Nickel and nickel alloys possess good resistance to sea-water in conditions where the protective properties of the passive film are fully maintained. As pointed out above, Ni-30 Cu Alloy 400, in contrast to its behaviour in acidic solution, normally forms a protective film in neutral and alkaline environments, including sea-water this alloy and its age hardening variant... 

As other cheaper materials usually give satisfactory performance, nickel and nickel alloys are not normally required for applications involving resistance to corrosion underground. Data on their behaviour in these circumstances are therefore sparse in particular, whether micro-organisms responsible for the accelerated corrosion of ferrous and other metals in certain anaerobic soils have any influence on nickel and its alloys, is uncertain. 

The wide range of corrosion-resistant nickel alloys that are produced commercially is capable in practice of handling most types of acid. Since the nickel-alloy range includes some that are corrosion resistant by virtue of their relative nobility and others that owe their resistance to passivity, alloys suitable both for hydrogen-evolving acids and for more oxidising acids are available. Table 4.27 contains a summary of data mainly derived from laboratory corrosion tests to illustrate the behaviour of individual alloys in some common mineral and organic acids. 

Masing, G. and Roth, C., Behaviour of Molybdenum and Nickel and Some Molybdenum-nickel Alloys in Acid Electrolytes , Werkstqffe and Korrosion, 3, 176-186, 253-263 (1952)... 

---