Important nickel alloys are iconel and monel metals. The composition of iconel is 75% nickel, 15% chromium and 9% iron. Monel metal comprises two-thirds nickel, one-thirds copper with a small percentage of elements like iron, silicon, manganese and carbon.
Iconel can be cast, forged, rolled and cold drawn. It has brittle behaviour when the temperature is between 650 and 950°C. Both at ordinary and high temperatures, it has high corrosion resistance. It can be soft soldered. It is used to manufacture springs that can withstand high temperature.
Monel metal is superior to brass or bronze in resisting corrosion. At ordinary temperature it is magnetic and becomes non-magnetic at temperatures between 100 and 150°C. It can be heat treated when aluminium and beryllium are added. Because of its peculiar flow properties, it can be welded only with special techniques. Because of its excellent corrosion resistance characteristic, it is widely used for parts of water pumps, propellers, domestic water storage tanks and parts subjected to high temperatures like intense combustion engines.
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