| Nickel metal has the following applications: • Its principal use is as an alloying element in stainless steels, alloys steels, non-ferrous metals and other corrosion resistant alloys, examples of which are: Invar®, Monel®, Inconel®, Nichrome®, Permalloy® and the Hastelloys®. • Nickel coatings can be deposited electrolytically by electroplating, chemically by electroless or autocatalytic deposition. • Tubing for desalination plants. • Coinage. • Additives in amour plate and burglarproof vaults metals. • In glass to produce a green colour. • As a catalyst for hydrogenating vegetable oils. • Ceramic manufacturing. • Alnico magnets. • Storage batteries, e.g. nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride based batteries. Such batteries are rechargeable and used for mobile phones, personal stereo equipment and the like. • High purity nickels are used in electronic and aerospace applications, chemical and food processing equipment, for anodes and cathodes, caustics evaporators and heat shields. • Aircraft turbines components. • Beryllium nickel is used for springs, switches, bellows, diaphragms and small valves • Thermometer bulbs and resistance thermometers. • Glass to metal and ceramic to metal seals. • Marine, petroleum and chemical processing equipment. (e.g. Monels). • Incineration systems. • Controlled expansion nickel superalloys. • Paramagnetic alloys and shape memory alloys (e.g. Nitinol) are used in fire-sprinkler actuators, tap water anti-scalding devices, green house window hinges, flow regulators, spacecraft solar-panel releases, numerous toys and novelties and under wire brassieres. |