Imagine the World of Nickel

Nickel is a part of our natural world and, in the modern world, one of the highest performance products. It is the fifth most common element. Each year, 1.9 million tons is used and the industry supports two million (2M) jobs globally. A small amount of nickel is used as a product in its own right. Most often, it is combined with other materials to produce stainless steel and other alloys with distinct performance characteristics.

Nickel is used as a plating material also to produce special chemical products such as batteries and catalyst, this is known as first use applications. The first use applications are sold to product manufacturers who use the nickel containing alloys as part of their manufacturing process to produce components, sub-assemblies and other products that are used in the manufacturing of other products. Collectively known as end use applications.

At the end of their life, about 80% of nickel-containing products are collected and recycled. Many are recycled because of their economic quality and share the common quality of being 100% recyclable. For the most part, nickel is recycled into the stainless steel loop thereby preserving the value added properties of nickel. However, some nickels get combined with other metals and are recovered as a minor constituent of carbon steel scrap.

One of the critical applications of nickel is in jet aircraft engines. They cannot function without the characteristics of nickel alloys which provide the essential properties of high strength, high corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. Nickel withstands the extremes of temperature. Nickel alloys have long been used for cryogenic applications like storing liquid natural gas at -259.6 degrees F (-162 degrees C). At the other end of the spectrum, six percent (6%) molybdenum stainless steel containing twenty-five percent (25%) nickel is used flue gas desulphurization helping to prevent acid gases to be discharged into the atmosphere.

Nickel is a key material for protecting human health. Stainless steel is the material of first choice in medical equipment where the medium is more than usually aggressive. Also, by improving the smile of a person’s face by the use of a fixed, orthodontal appliance to realign the position of teeth. The dairy industry uses stainless steel in their milk production widely because they are easily fabricated and hygienic. Daily hot washing, using detergents and disinfectants cause no detrimental effects to the equipment while controlling the occurrence of bacteria.

Within our homes, domestic appliances have moved into the 21st century with the aesthetic qualities of stainless steel equipment and worktops matching the clean-ability and hygiene benefits that have been the worldwide standard in the catering industry for many years. In our urban environment, nickel enhances the skyline. The use of nickel and stainless steel is highly favored by architects not only because of its look but also because of its durability, resistance to atmospheric corrosion and it is also recyclable.

So, you don’t need to imagine the world of nickel. It is around us in everyday life, keeping jet engines turning, saving structures from corrosion, resisting extremes of temperature. Maintaining hygiene and protective health and being easy to recycle…it does these things over and over again.

The source of this content is credited to Nickel Institute.