Aug 26 2013
Topics Covered
Introduction
Chemical Composition
Physical Properties
Applications
Introduction
Ferronickel is a ferroalloy that contains approximately 35% nickel and 65% iron. Its CAS number is 11110-39-7. It is a shiny metallic solid material and can be obtained from the carbothermic reduction of serpentinic minerals, such as serpentine, limonite, or garnierite. It enables the production of products with special electronic, magnetic and catalytic properties.
Ferronickel remains stable under normal storage conditions; however when exposed to carbon oxides in reducing atmospheres, there is a risk of forming the toxic gas nickel carbonyl.
The following sections will discuss the various properties of ferronickel in more detail.
Chemical Composition
The following table shows the chemical composition of ferronickel ingots.
|
Element |
Content (%) |
|
Nickel, Ni |
17 - 24 |
|
Cobalt, Co |
1.2 max |
|
Sulfur, S |
0.25 max |
|
Arsenic, As |
0.15 max |
|
Copper, Cu |
0.10 max |
|
Silicon, Si |
0.02 max |
|
Carbon, C |
0.02 max |
|
Phosphorous, P |
0.020 max |
|
Chromium, Cr |
0.003 max |
|
Iron , Fe |
Remainder |
Physical Properties
The following table discusses the physical properties of ferro nickel.
|
Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
|
Density |
3.8 g/cm³ |
0.137 lb/in³ |
|
Melting point |
1500°C |
2732°F |
|
Boiling point |
2900ºC |
5252°F |
Applications
The following are the common application areas of ferronickel:
-
For manufacturing austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloy steels
-
For manufacturing batteries, electronics, and gas turbines
Ferro nickel is widely applied in the following sectors:
-
Engineering
-
Transport
-
Electrical and electronic
-
Building and construction
-
Metal goods and tubular products