Nickel mechanical properties

Common alloying elements include nickel to improve low temperature mechanical properties chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium to improve elevated-temperature properties and silicon to improve properties at ordinary temperatures. Low alloy steels ate not used where corrosion is a prime factor and are usually considered separately from stainless steels. 

Dentistry. Most casting alloys meet the composition and properties criteria of specification no. 5 of the American Dental Association (37) which prescribes four types of alloy systems constituted of gold—silver—copper with addition of platinum, palladium, and 2inc. Composition ranges are specified, as are mechanical properties and minimum fusion temperatures. Wrought alloys for plates also may include the same constituents. Similarly, specification no. 7 prescribes nickel and two types of alloys for dental wires with the same alloy constituents (see Dental materials). 

Table 13 is a representative Hst of nickel and cobalt-base eutectics for which mechanical properties data are available. In most eutectics the matrix phase is ductile and the reinforcement is britde or semibritde, but this is not invariably so. The strongest of the aHoys Hsted in Table 13 exhibit ultimate tensile strengths of 1300—1550 MPa. Appreciable ductiHty can be attained in many fibrous eutectics even when the fibers themselves are quite britde. However, some lamellar eutectics, notably y/y —5, reveal Htde plastic deformation prior to fracture. 

Nickel—Copper. In the soHd state, nickel and copper form a continuous soHd solution. The nickel-rich, nickel—copper alloys are characterized by a good compromise of strength and ductihty and are resistant to corrosion and stress corrosion ia many environments, ia particular water and seawater, nonoxidizing acids, neutral and alkaline salts, and alkaUes. These alloys are weldable and are characterized by elevated and high temperature mechanical properties for certain appHcations. The copper content ia these alloys also easure improved thermal coaductivity for heat exchange. MONEL alloy 400 is a typical nickel-rich, nickel—copper alloy ia which the nickel content is ca 66 wt %. MONEL alloy K-500 is essentially alloy 400 with small additions of aluminum and titanium. Aging of alloy K-500 results in very fine y -precipitates and increased strength (see also Copper alloys). 

Copper and nickel can be alloyed with zinc to form nickel silvers. Nickel silvers are ductile, easily formed and machined, have good corrosion resistance, can be worked to provide a range of mechanical properties, and have an attractive white color. These alloys are used for ornamental purposes, as sHverplated and uncoated tableware and flatware in the electrical iadustry as contacts, connections, and springs and as many formed and machined parts (see Electrical connectors). 

The physical and mechanical properties of steel depend on its microstmcture, that is, the nature, distribution, and amounts of its metaHographic constituents as distinct from its chemical composition. The amount and distribution of iron and iron carbide determine most of the properties, although most plain carbon steels also contain manganese, siUcon, phosphoms, sulfur, oxygen, and traces of nitrogen, hydrogen, and other chemical elements such as aluminum and copper. These elements may modify, to a certain extent, the main effects of iron and iron carbide, but the influence of iron carbide always predominates. This is tme even of medium alloy steels, which may contain considerable amounts of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. 

Mechanical properties depend on the alloying elements. Addition of carbon to the cobalt base metal is the most effective. The carbon forms various carbide phases with the cobalt and the other alloying elements (see Carbides). The presence of carbide particles is controlled in part by such alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, titanium, manganese, tungsten, and molybdenum that are added during melting. The distribution of the carbide particles is controlled by heat treatment of the solidified alloy. 

Alpha—beta aluminum alloys respond to heat treatment with a general improvement of mechanical properties. Heat treatment is accompHshed by heating to 815—870°C, quenching in water, and reannealing at 370—535°C, depending on the size and section of the casting. Different combinations of strength, hardness, and ductility can be obtained. Some nickel in aluminum bronze is in soHd solution with the matrix and helps refine the precipitate, and a smaller amount is in the K-intermetaUic compound. 

Sulfur Corrosion Chromium is the most important material in imparting resistance to sulfidation (formation of smfidic scales similar to oxide scales). The austenitic alloys are generally used because of their superior mechanical properties and fabrication qualities, despite the fact that nickel in the alloy tends to lessen resistance to sulfidation somewhat. 

As you can see from the tables in Chapter 1, few metals are used in their pure state -they nearly always have other elements added to them which turn them into alloys and give them better mechanical properties. The alloying elements will always dissolve in the basic metal to form solid solutions, although the solubility can vary between <0.01% and 100% depending on the combinations of elements we choose. As examples, the iron in a carbon steel can only dissolve 0.007% carbon at room temperature the copper in brass can dissolve more than 30% zinc and the copper-nickel system - the basis of the monels and the cupronickels - has complete solid solubility. 

To explain the mechanism by which the formation of Ni3S2 scale can result in the fatigue failure of the blade disc, the effect of sulfur on the mechanical properties of nickel base alloys must be understood. Since the fracture modes are totally intergranular with evidence of... 

The outstanding properties of copper-base materials are high electrical and thermal conductivity, good durabihty in mildly corrosive chemical environments and excellent ductility for forming complex shapes. As a relatively weak material, copper is often alloyed with zinc (brasses), tin (bronzes), aluminum and nickel to improve its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. 

Table 3.20. Mechanical Properties of Annealed Cupro-Nickel Alloys [30]...

Mechanical properties of aimealed cupro-nickel alloys. 83... 

Nonmagnetic drill collars are manufactured from various alloys, although the most common are Monel K500 (approximately 68% nickel, 28% copper with some iron and manganese, and 316L austenitic stainless steel). A stainless steel with the composition of 0.06% carbon, 0.50% silicon, 17-19% manganese, less than 3.50% nickel, 12% chromium, and 1.15% molybdenum, with mechanical properties of 110 to 115 Ksi tensile strength is also used. 

Sulfur compounds, whether organic or inorganic in nature, cause sulfidation in susceptible materials. The sulfide film, which forms on the surface of much con-stmction materials at low temperatures, becomes friable and melts at higher temperatures. The presence of molten sulfides (especially nickel sulfide) on a metal surface promotes the rapid conversion to metal sulfides at temperatures where these sulfides are thermodynamically stable. High-alloy materials such as 25% Cr, 20% Ni alloys are widely used, but these represent a compromise between sulfidation resistance and mechanical properties. Aluminum and similar diffusion coatings can be of use. 

Cast irons are iron with high levels of carbon. Heat treatments and alloying element additions produce gray cast iron, malleable iron, ductile iron, spheroidal cast iron and other grades. The mechanical properties vary significantly. Nickel-containing cast irons have improved hardness and corrosion resistance. Copper or molybdenum additions improve strength. 

Selective removal of the less noble constituent has been demonstrated by chemical analysis in the case of nickel-rich alloys in fused caustic soda or fused fluorides ", and by etching effects and X-ray microanalysis for Fe-18Cr-8Ni steels in fused alkali chlorides. This type of excessive damage can occur with quite small total amounts of corrosion, and in this sense its effect on the mechanical properties of the alloy is comparable with the notorious effect of intercrystalline disintegration in the stainless steels. 

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. 

The grades with the 410 or 420 numerals are the basic 13% chromium type with varied carbon content. The additions of sulphur or selenium (possibly with phosphorus) to some grades (416 group) is to improve machinability. 431S29 has increased chromium content to improve corrosion resistance, but reference to Fig. 3.11 shows that such addition alone would lead to a mixed martensite-5-ferrite structure with certain disadvantages to mechanical properties. The nickel addition is to limit ferrite content. 

Table 4.23 Typical mechanical properties of corrosion-resistant nickel alloys...

While carburisation itself is not a normal corrosion process, in that there is no metal wastage, absorption and diffusion of carbon can lead to significant changes in the mechanical properties of the affected material and in particular to marked embrittlement. Furthermore, initial carburisation can produce an acceleration of the normal oxidation process, a phenomenon that is notable in nickel-chromium alloys. 

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