Nickel metal. Areas of application of nickel. Reserves and production

Long before the discovery of nickel, Saxon miners knew a mineral that was similar to copper ore and was used in glass making to color glass green. All attempts to obtain copper from it were unsuccessful, and therefore it received the name “kupfernickel”, which roughly means “Copper Devil” (cf. German Nickel - mischievous). This mineral (red nickel pyrite NiAs) was studied by the Swedish mineralogist and chemist Kronstedt in 1751. He managed to obtain green oxide and, by reducing the latter, a new metal called nickel.

Being in nature, receiving:

Nickel is quite common in nature - its content in the earth's crust is 0.01% (wt.). In iron meteorites (up to 8%). In plants, on average, 5 * 10 -5 weight percent, in marine animals - 1.6 * 10 -4, in terrestrial animals - 1 * 10 -6, in the human body - 1 ... 2 * 10 -6
The bulk of nickel is obtained from garnierite and magnetic pyrites in several ways:
1. Silicate ore is reduced with coal dust in rotary tube kilns to iron-nickel pellets (5-8% Ni), which are then cleaned of sulfur, calcined and treated with an ammonia solution. After acidifying the solution, metal is obtained from it electrolytically.
2. Carbonyl method (Mond method). First, copper-nickel matte is obtained from sulfide ore, over which CO is passed under high pressure. Highly volatile tetracarbonylnickel is formed by thermal decomposition, which releases a particularly pure metal.
3. Aluminothermic method. Reduction of nickel from oxide ore with aluminum: 3NiO + 2Al = 3Ni +Al 2 O 3.

Physical properties:

Nickel metal has a silvery color with a yellowish tint, is very hard, tough and malleable, polishes well, and is attracted by a magnet. Density of a simple substance at no. 8.902 g/cm 3, melting point = 1726 K, boiling point = 3005 K.

Chemical properties:

At normal temperatures, nickel is characterized by high corrosion resistance - it is stable in air, water, alkalis, and a number of acids. Reacts with nitric acid, forming nickel(II) nitrate Ni(NO 3) 2 and the corresponding nitric oxide.
When heated, nickel reacts with many non-metals: halogens, sulfur, phosphorus, carbon. With atmospheric oxygen at 800°C, nickel forms the oxide NiO.
Nickel is capable of absorbing large volumes of hydrogen, resulting in the formation of solid solutions of hydrogen in nickel.
With carbon(II) monoxide, nickel easily forms volatile and highly toxic carbonyl Ni(CO)4.

The most important connections:

In compounds, cobalt exhibits an oxidation state of +3, +2, 0.
Nickel(II) oxide, NiO- a solid substance from light to dark green or black in color. Basic properties prevail; it is reduced to metal by hydrogen and other reducing agents.
Nickel(II) hydroxide, Ni(OH) 2- green in color, slightly soluble in water and alkalis, good in many acids, basic properties predominate. When heated, it decomposes to form NiO.
Nickel(II) salts- usually obtained by reacting NiO or Ni(OH) 2 with various acids. Water-soluble nickel salts usually form crystalline hydrates, for example, NiSO 4 *7H 2 O, Ni(NO 3) 2 *6H 2 O. Insoluble nickel compounds include Ni 3 (PO 4) 2 phosphate and Ni 2 SiO 4 silicate. Crystalline hydrates and solutions are usually colored green, and anhydrous salts are yellow or brownish-yellow.
Nickel(II) complex compounds very numerous (number = 6). Their formation explains, for example, the dissolution of nickel oxide in an ammonia solution. Nickel dimethylglyoximate Ni(C 4 H 6 N 2 O 2) 2, which gives a clear red color in an acidic environment, is used as a qualitative reaction to nickel (II) ions.
Nickel(III) compounds- less typical. Known, for example oxide Ni 2 O 3 *H 2 O, a black substance, is obtained by the oxidation of nickel(II) hydroxide in an alkaline medium with hypochlorite or halogens:
2Ni(OH) 2 + 2NaOH + Br 2 = Ni 2 O 3 *H 2 O + 2NaBr + H 2 O
Strong oxidizing agent.
There are also nickel(III) complex compounds, for example, K 3.
Nickel carbonyl, Ni(CO) 4. Diamagnetic colorless liquid, very volatile and toxic. It hardens at -23°C, and when heated to 180-200°C, it decomposes into metallic nickel and carbon monoxide (II). Ni(CO) 4 is slightly soluble in water, well in organic solvents, and does not react with dilute acids and alkalis.

Application:

Nickel is a component of many alloys - heat-resistant, resistance alloys (nichrome: 60% Ni + 40% Cr), jewelry (white gold, cupronickel), coins.
Nickel is also used for nickel plating - creating a corrosion-resistant coating on the surface of another metal. They are also used for the production of batteries, winding strings of musical instruments...
Nickel is one of the trace elements necessary for the normal development of living organisms. It is known to take part in enzymatic reactions in animals and plants.
Nickel can cause allergies (contact dermatitis) to metals that come into contact with the skin (jewelry, watches, denim rivets). The European Union limits the nickel content in products that come into contact with human skin.

Rudagina Olga
HF Tyumen State University, 581gr., 2011

Sources: Wikipedia: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ni, etc.,
Popular library of chemical elements. Nickel. http://n-t.ru/ri/ps/pb028.htm
Website of the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Chemical Technical University named after. DI. Mendeleev. Table D.I. Mendeleev: Nickel

Nickel is the 17th chemical element of the periodic table of Mendeleev with atomic number 28. The substance is a transition metal, distinguished by its ductility and having a characteristic silver-white color. Does not exhibit strong chemical activity. The very name of the substance translated from German means “mountain spirit.” People were familiar with nickel back in the 17th century, but it had not yet been isolated as a separate substance. It was found in copper ores during copper mining and was called false copper (kupfernickel) from the spirit of the mountains. The substance was isolated as a separate metal by Axel Crostedt in 1751 and named it “nickel.”

In the mid-18th century, people knew 12 metals, as well as sulfur, phosphorus, carbon and arsenic. At the same time, nickel was added to them, which was assigned the 17th number.

Nickel Characteristics

The newly discovered element did not find its application immediately. Only two centuries later people began to actively use metal. It became especially popular in metallurgy. As it turns out, nickel is an excellent alloying element for steel and iron. Thus, alloys with nickel are very resistant to various chemical influences, are not subject to corrosion damage, and can also withstand very high temperatures. For example, an alloy of nickel and iron, called invar in metallurgy, is unable to expand when exposed to high temperatures, which is one of the main reasons why invar is used to make rails for railways and many other elements.

Physical properties of nickel

Nickel is a metal with a characteristic yellowish-silver tint. In the open air it retains its color and shine and does not fade. The Brinell hardness of the metal is 600-800 Mn/m2. Despite its fairly high hardness, the metal lends itself well to various physical influences and treatments, including forging and polishing. This allows nickel to be used for the production of very thin and delicate products.

The metal has magnetic properties even at fairly low temperatures (down to -340 0 C). Resistant to corrosion damage.

Chemical properties of nickel

Nickel has atomic number 28 and is designated in chemical nomenclature by the symbol Ni. It has a molar mass of 58.6934 g/mol. The nickel atom has a radius of 124 pm. Its electronegativity on the Pauling scale is 1.94, and its electronic potential is 0.25 V.

The metal is not exposed to negative air and water influences. This is due to the formation of a film in the form of nickel oxide (NiO) on its surface, which prevents its further oxidation.

Reacts with oxygen only under certain conditions, in particular under high heat. At high temperatures it is also capable of interacting with absolutely all halogens.

Shows a violent reaction in nitric acid, as well as in solutions with ammonia. However, some salts, for example hydrochloric and sulfuric acid, dissolve the metal quite slowly. But it does not dissolve in phosphoric acid at all.

Nickel production

The main material for nickel mining is sulfide copper-nickel ores. Thus, it is from such ores that about 80% of nickel from the total production in the world is obtained, excluding Russia. The ores are subjected to selective enrichment by flotation, after which copper, nickel, and pyrrhotite concentrates are separated from the ore.

To obtain pure metal, nickel ore concentrate is used, which, along with fluxes, is melted in electric shafts or reverberatory furnaces. As a result of this process, waste rock is separated and nickel is extracted in the form of matte, which contains up to 15% nickel.

Sometimes, before the concentrate is sent for smelting, it is roasted and agglomerated. The composition of the sulfide melt (matte) after the smelting process also contains Fe, Co and almost completely Cu, as well as noble metals. Next, the iron is separated, after which an alloy remains, which contains copper and nickel. The alloy is subjected to slow cooling, after which it is finely ground and sent for further flotation to separate the two elements. Cu and Ni can also be separated by the so-called carbonyl process, which is based on the reversibility of the reaction.

The three most common methods for obtaining nickel are:

1. Restorative. The basis is silicate ore, from which, with the participation of coal dust, iron-nickel pellets containing from 5% to 8% nickel are formed. Rotary tube kilns are used for this process. After this, the pellets are cleaned of sulfur, calcined and treated with an ammonia solution, from which nickel is obtained after acidification.
2. Carbonyl. This method is also called Mond's method. Based on the production of copper-nickel matte from sulfide ore. CO is passed over the matte under high pressure, resulting in the formation of tetracarbonylnickel, from which, under the influence of high temperatures, highly pure nickel is released.
3. Aluminothermic. This method is based on the recovery of nickel from oxide ore: 3NiO + 2Al = 3Ni +Al 2 O 3

Nickel compounds

Nickel forms many different compounds, both organic and inorganic, each of which is used in certain areas of human activity.

Inorganic nickel compounds

Among these it is worth noting oxides. In particular, its monoxide, the formation of which occurs as a result of the reaction of metal and oxygen at a fairly high temperature exceeding 500 0 C, is used as a material from which paints and enamels are made in ceramic and glass production. And in the production of anodes that are used in alkaline batteries, nickel sesquioxide Ni 2 O 3 is used. To obtain it, nickel nitrate or nickel chlorate is subjected to very slow heating.

Not the least place is given to nickel hydroxides. For example, Ni(OH) 2 is formed as a result of the action of alkalis on aqueous solutions of nickel salts. This hydroxide is characterized by a light green color. From nickel hydroxide, under the influence of an oxidizing agent in an alkaline environment, a hydrated oxide is formed, on the basis of which the Edison alkaline battery operates. The advantage of this battery is its ability to remain uncharged for a long time, while a conventional lead battery cannot remain uncharged for a long time.

Nickel (II) salts are usually formed as a result of the interaction of NiO or Ni(OH) 2 with various acids. Soluble nickel salts, in most cases, form crystalline hydrates. Insoluble salts are Ni 3 (PO 4) 2 phosphate and Ni 2 SiO 4 silicate. Crystal hydrates and solutions are characterized by a greenish color, and anhydrous salts are characterized by a yellow or brownish-yellow color.

Nickel(II) complex compounds also exist. To form them, nickel oxide is dissolved in an ammonia solution. Nickel dimethylglyoximate Ni(C 4 H 6 N 2 O 2) 2 is used as a reaction to nickel ions. It is characterized by the coloring of an acidic environment red.

The least characteristic nickel compounds are nickel(III) compounds. Of these, a black substance is known, which is obtained as a result of the oxidation reaction of nickel (II) hydroxide in an alkaline medium with hypochlorite or halogens:

2Ni(OH) 2 + 2NaOH + Br 2 = Ni 2 O 3 *H 2 O + 2NaBr + H 2 O

Organic nickel compounds

Ni-C bonding occurs in two ways:

1. According to the y-type. Such compounds are called y-complexes. These include compounds having the following form: and , where R=Alk or Ar, L=PR3, where X is an acidoligand.
2. By p-type. They are called p-complexes. These include alkene and polyene organo-nickel compounds, which contain nickel in the zero oxidation state. Such compounds are usually characterized by a trigonal or tetrahedral structure.

NICKEL, Ni, a chemical element of group VIII of the periodic system, belonging to the triad of the so-called. iron metals (Fe, Co, Ni). Atomic weight 58.69 (2 isotopes are known with atomic weights 58 and 60); serial number 28; The usual valency of Ni is 2, less commonly 4, 6 and 8. In the earth's crust, nickel is more abundant than cobalt, accounting for about 0.02% by weight. In the free state, nickel is found only in meteoric iron (sometimes up to 30%); in geological formations it is contained exclusively in the form of compounds - oxygen, sulfur, arsenic, silicates, etc. (see Nickel ores).

Properties of nickel. Pure nickel is a silvery-white metal with a strong shine that does not fade when exposed to air. It is hard, refractory and easy to polish; in the absence of impurities, (especially sulfur), it is very flexible, malleable and malleable, capable of being rolled into very thin sheets and drawn into wire with a diameter of less than 0.5 mm. The crystalline form of nickel is cube. Specific gravity 8.9; cast products have a specific gravity of ~8.5; rolling he might. increased to 9.2. Mohs hardness ~5, Brinell 70. Ultimate tensile strength 45-50 kg/mm ​​2, with elongation 25-45%; Young's modulus E 20 = (2.0-2.2)x10 6 kg)cm 2; shear modulus 0.78 10 6 kg/cm 2 ; Poisson's ratio μ =0.3; compressibility 0.52·10 -6 cm 2 /kg; the melting point of nickel, according to the latest most accurate definitions, is 1455°C; boiling point is in the range of 2900-3075°C.

Linear coefficient of thermal expansion 0.0000128 (at 20°C). Heat capacity: specific 0.106 cal/g, atomic 6.24 cal (at 18°C); heat of fusion 58.1 cal/g; thermal conductivity 0.14 cal cm/cm 2 sec. °C (at 18°C). Sound transmission speed 4973.4 m/sec. The electrical resistivity of nickel at 20°C is 6.9-10 -6 Ω-cm with a temperature coefficient of (6.2-6.7)·10 -3. Nickel belongs to the group of ferromagnetic substances, but its magnetic properties are inferior to those of iron and cobalt; for nickel at 18°C ​​the magnetization limit is J m = 479 (for iron J m = 1706); Curie point 357.6°C; the magnetic permeability of both nickel itself and its ferroalloys is significant (see below). At ordinary temperatures, nickel is quite resistant to atmospheric influences; water and alkalis, even when heated, have no effect on it. Nickel dissolves easily in dilute nitric acid with the release of hydrogen and is much more difficult to dissolve in HCl, H 2 SO 4 and concentrated HNO 3. When heated in air, nickel oxidizes from the surface, but only to a small depth; when heated, it easily combines with halides, sulfur, phosphorus and arsenic. Market grades of metallic nickel are the following: a) ordinary metallurgical nickel, obtained by reduction from its oxides using coal, usually contains from 1.0 to 1.5% impurities; b) malleable nickel, obtained from the previous one by remelting with the addition of about 0.5% magnesium or manganese, contains an admixture of Mg or Mn and contains almost no sulfur; c) nickel prepared according to the Mond method (via nickel carbonyl) is the purest product (99.8-99.9% Ni). Common impurities in metallurgical nickel are: cobalt (up to 0.5%), iron, copper, carbon, silicon, nickel oxides, sulfur and occluded gases. All these substances, with the exception of sulfur, have little effect on the technical properties of nickel, reducing only its electrical conductivity and slightly increasing its hardness. Sulfur (present in the form of nickel sulfide) sharply reduces the malleability and mechanical strength of nickel, especially at elevated temperatures, which is noticeable even when containing<0,005% S. Вредное влияние серы объясняется тем, что сульфид никеля, растворяясь в металле, дает хрупкий и низкоплавкий (температура плавления около 640°С) твердый раствор, образующий прослойки между кристаллитами чистого никеля.

Nickel Applications. The bulk of metallurgical nickel is used for the production of ferronickel and nickel steel. A major consumer of nickel is also the production of various special alloys (see below) for the electrical industry, mechanical engineering and chemical equipment manufacturing; This area of ​​nickel application has shown an increasing growth trend in recent years. Laboratory apparatus and utensils (crucibles, cups), kitchen and tableware are prepared from malleable nickel. Large quantities of nickel are used for nickel plating of iron, steel and copper products and in the production of electric batteries. Lamp electrodes for radio equipment are made from chemically pure nickel. Finally, reduced pure nickel in powder form is the most commonly used catalyst for all kinds of hydrogenation (and dehydrogenation) reactions, for example, in the hydrogenation of fats, aromatic hydrocarbons, carbonyl compounds, etc.

Nickel alloys . The qualitative and quantitative composition of the nickel alloys used is very diverse. Alloys of nickel with copper, iron and chromium (most recently also with aluminum) are of technical importance - often with the addition of a third metal (zinc, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, etc.) and with a certain content of carbon or silicon. The nickel content in these alloys varies from 1.5 to 85%.

Alloys Ni-Cu form a solid solution at any ratio of components. They are resistant to alkalis, diluted H 2 SO 4 and heating up to 800 ° C; their anti-corrosion properties increase with increasing Ni content. Bullet shells are made from an alloy of 85% Cu + 15% Ni, and small change coins are made from an alloy of 75% Cu + 25% Ni. Alloys with 20-40% Ni are used for the manufacture of pipes in condensing units; the same alloys are used for lining tables in kitchens and buffets and for making stamped ornamental decorations. Alloys with 30-45% Ni are used for the production of rheostatic wire and standard electrical resistances; This includes, for example, nickel and constantan. Ni-Cu alloys with a high Ni content (up to 70%) are characterized by high chemical resistance and are widely used in apparatus and mechanical engineering. Monel metal is the most widely used.

Alloys Ni-Cu-Zn quite resistant to organic acids (acetic, tartaric, lactic); with a content of about 50% copper, they are collectively called nickel silver. The copper-rich hardware alloy ambarak contains 20% Ni, 75% Cu and 5% Zn; In terms of stability, it is inferior to Monel metal. Alloys such as bronze or brass containing nickel are sometimes also called nickel bronze.

Alloys Ni-Cu-Mn, containing 2-12% Ni, called manganina, are used for electrical resistances; in electrical measuring instruments an alloy of 45-55% Ni, 15-40% Mn and 5-40% Cu is used.

Alloys Ni-Cu-Cr resistant to alkalis and acids, with the exception of HCl.

Alloys Ni-Cu-W have recently gained great importance as valuable acid-resistant materials for chemical equipment; with a content of 2-10% W and not more than 45% Cu, they are well rolled and very resistant to hot H 2 SO 4. The alloy of the composition has the best qualities: 52% Ni, 43% Cu, 5% W; A small amount of Fe is acceptable.

Alloys Ni-Cr. Chromium dissolves in nickel up to 60%, nickel in chromium up to 7%; in alloys of intermediate composition there are crystal lattices of both types. These alloys are resistant to moist air, alkalis, dilute acids and H 2 SO 4; with a content of 25% Cr or more, they are also resistant to HNO 3; the addition of ~2% Ag makes them easy to roll. At 30% nickel, the Ni-Cr alloy is completely devoid of magnetic properties. An alloy containing 80-85% Ni and 15-20% Cr, along with high electrical resistance, is very resistant to oxidation at high temperatures (withstands heating up to 1200°C); it is used in electric resistance ovens and household heating devices (electric irons, braziers, stoves). In the USA, Ni-Cr is used to make cast pipes for high pressures used in plant equipment.

Alloys Ni-Mo They have high acid resistance (at >15% Mo), but have not become widespread due to their high cost.

Alloys Ni-Mn(with 1.5-5.0% Mn) resistant to alkalis and moisture; their technical application is limited.

Alloys Ni-Fe form a continuous series of solid solutions; they form a large and technically important group; depending on the carbon content they are either steel or cast iron. Conventional grades of nickel steel (pearlite structure) contain 1.5-8% Ni and 0.05-0.50% C. The nickel additive makes the steel very tough and significantly increases its elastic limit and bending impact resistance without affecting ductility and weldability . Critical machine parts are prepared from nickel steel, such as transmission shafts, axles, spindles, axles, gear clutches, etc., as well as many parts of artillery structures; steel with 4-8% Ni and<0,15% С хорошо поддается цементации. Введение никеля в чугуны(>1.7% C) promotes the release of carbon (graphite) and the destruction of cementite; Nickel increases the hardness of cast iron, its tensile and bending resistance, promotes uniform distribution of hardness in castings, facilitates machining, imparts fine grain and reduces the formation of voids in castings. Nickel cast iron used as an alkali-resistant material for chemical equipment; The most suitable for this purpose are cast irons containing 10-12% Ni and ~1% Si. Steel-like alloys with a higher nickel content (25-46% Ni at 0.1-0.8% C) have an austenitic structure; they are very resistant to oxidation, to the action of hot gases, alkalis and acetic acid, have high electrical resistance and a very low expansion coefficient. These alloys are almost non-magnetic; when the Ni content is within 25-30%, they completely lose their magnetic properties; their magnetic permeability (in low-strength fields) increases with increasing nickel content and m.b. further enhanced by special heat treatment. Alloys in this category include: a) ferronickel (25% Ni at 0.3-0.5% C), used for the manufacture of motor valves and other machine parts operating at elevated temperatures, as well as non-magnetic parts of electrical machines and rheostatic wire; b) invar; c) platinite (46% Ni at 0.15% C) is used in electric lamps instead of platinum for soldering wires into glass. Permalloy alloy (78% Ni at 0.04% C) has a magnetic permeability μ = 90000 (in a field of 0.06 gauss); magnetization limit I m ​​= 710. Some alloys of this type are used in the manufacture of underwater electrical cables.

Alloys Ni-Fe-Cr- also a very important technical group. Chrome-nickel steel, used in mechanical and engine building, usually contains 1.2-4.2% Ni, 0.3-2.0% Cr and 0.12-0.33% C. In addition to high viscosity, it also has significant hardness and resistance wear and tear; temporary tensile strength, depending on the nature of the heat treatment, ranges between 50 and 200 kg/mm ​​2; is used for the manufacture of crankshafts and other parts of internal combustion engines, parts of machine tools and machines, as well as artillery armor. In order to increase hardness, a large amount of chromium (from 10 to 14%) is introduced into the steel for steam turbine blades. Chromium-nickel steels with a content of >25% Ni resist the action of hot gases well and have minimal fluidity: they can be subjected to significant forces at high temperatures (300-400°C) without detecting residual deformations; used for the manufacture of valves for motors, parts of gas turbines and conveyors for high-temperature installations (for example, glass annealing furnaces). Ni-Fe-Cr alloys containing >60% Ni are used for the manufacture of cast machine parts and low-temperature parts of electrical heating devices. As hardware materials, Ni-Fe-Cr alloys have high anti-corrosion properties and are quite resistant to HNO 3. In chemical apparatus manufacturing, chromium-nickel steel is used, containing 2.5-9.5% Ni and 14-23% Cr at 0.1-0.4% C; it is almost non-magnetic, resistant to HNO 3, hot ammonia and oxidation at high temperatures; Mo or Cu additive increases resistance to hot acid gases (SO 2 , HCl); Increasing the Ni content increases the machinability of steel and its resistance to H2SO4, but reduces its resistance to HNO3. This includes Krupp stainless steels (V1M,V5M) and acid-resistant steels(V2A, V2H, etc.); Their heat treatment consists of heating to ~ 1170°C and quenching in water. Used as alkali-resistant material nickel-chromium cast iron(5-6% Ni and 5-6% Cr with a content of >1.7% C). Nichrome alloy, containing 54-80% Ni, 10-22% Cr and 5-27% Fe, sometimes with the addition of Cu and Mn, is resistant to oxidation within temperatures up to 800 ° C and is used in heating devices (sometimes by the same name denote the Ni-Cr alloys described above that do not contain Fe).

Alloys Ni-Fe-Mo were offered as hardware material. An alloy of 55-60% Ni, 20% Fe and 20% Mo has the highest acid resistance and anti-corrosion properties, when containing< 0,2% С; присадка небольшого количества V еще более повышает кислотоупорность; Мn м. б. вводим в количестве до 3%. Сплав вполне устойчив по отношению к холодным кислотам (НСl, H 2 SO 4), за исключением HNO 3 , и к щелочам, но разрушается хлором и окислителями в присутствии кислот; он имеет твердость по Бринеллю >200, well rolled, forged, cast and processed on machines.

Alloys Ni-Fe-Cu used in chemical equipment (steel with 6-11% Ni and 16-20% Cu).

Alloys Ni-Fe-Si. For the construction of acid-resistant equipment, silicon-nickel steels of the Durimet brand are used, containing 20-25% Ni (or Ni and Cr in a ratio of 3:1) and ~ 5% Si, sometimes with the addition of Cu. They are resistant to cold and hot acids (H 2 SO 4, HNO 3, CH 3 COOH) and salt solutions, less resistant to HCl; Amenable to hot and cold machining.

In alloys Ni-AI the formation of a chemical compound AINi takes place, dissolving in an excess of one of the alloy components.

Alloys based on the system are beginning to acquire technical importance. Ni-AI-Si. They turned out to be very resistant to HNO 3 and cold and hot H 2 SO 4, but they are almost impossible to machine. Such, for example, is a new acid-resistant alloy for cast products, containing about 85% Ni, 10% Si and 5% Al (or Al + Cu); its Brinell hardness is about 360 (it is reduced to 300 by annealing at 1050°C).

Nickel metallurgy . The main area of ​​application of nickel is the production of special grades of steel. During the war of 1914-18. at least 75% of all nickel was spent for this purpose; under normal conditions ~65%. Nickel is also widely used in its alloys with non-ferrous (non-ferrous) metals, ch. arr. with copper (~15%). The rest of the nickel is used for the production of nickel anodes - 5%, malleable nickel - 5% and various products - 10%.

Nickel production centers have repeatedly moved from one area of ​​the globe to another, which was explained by the presence of reliable ore deposits and the general economic situation. Industrial smelting of nickel from ores began in 1825-26 in Falun (Sweden), where nickel containing sulfur pyrite was found. In the 90s of the last century, Swedish deposits were apparently almost exhausted. Only during the war of 1914-18, due to an increase in demand for nickel metal, Sweden supplied several tens of tons of this metal (maximum 49 tons in 1917). In Norway, production began in 1847-50.

The main ore here was pyrrhotite with an average content of 0.9-1.5% Ni. Production in Norway on a small scale (maximum - about 700 tons per year during the 1914-18 war) continues to this day. In the middle of the last century, the center of the nickel industry was concentrated in Germany and Austria-Hungary. At first it was based here exclusively on the arsenic ores of the Black Forest and Gladbach, and from 1901, and especially during the war of 1914-18, on the oxidized ores of Silesia (Frankenstein). The development of nickel ore deposits in New Caledonia began in 1877. Thanks to the use of these ores, world production of nickel in 1882 reached almost 1000 tons. The ore mined here was processed locally only in limited quantities, but the bulk of it was sent to Europe. Only in recent years, due to increased transport tariffs, hl. arr. rich mattes containing 75-78% Ni, in the amount of nickel about 5000 tons per year. Currently, it is proposed to obtain metallic nickel in New Caledonia, for which purpose the Nickel Society is constructing a refining plant that will use the electrical energy of a hydroelectric station on the Yate River. The nickel industry in Canada (North America) began in the late 1980s. last century. Until recently, there were two companies here; one English - Mond Nickel Co. and another American - International Nickel Co. At the end of 1928, both companies merged into a powerful global trust called the International Nickel Company of Canada, supplying the market with about 90% of the world's nickel production and exploiting deposits located near the city of Sedbury. Mond Nickel Co. melts its ores at a plant in Coniston into matte, which is sent to England for further processing at a plant in Claydach. International Nickel Co. The matte smelted at the Conpercliffe plant is sent to the Port Colborne plant for metal production. World nickel production has reached 40,000 tons in recent years.

Processing of nickel ores is carried out exclusively by dry methods. Hydrometallurgical methods, which have been repeatedly recommended for ore processing, have not yet found application in practice. These methods are currently sometimes applied only to the processing of intermediate products (mattes) obtained as a result of dry processing of ores. The use of the dry route for the processing of nickel ores (both sulfur and oxidized) is characterized by the implementation of the same principle of gradual concentration of valuable components of the ore in the form of certain products, which are then processed into metals to be extracted. The first stage of such concentration of foam components of nickel ores is carried out by ore smelting into matte. In the case of sulfur ores, the latter are smelted in the raw or pre-burnt state in shaft or flame furnaces. Oxidized ores are melted in shaft furnaces with the addition of sulfur-containing materials to their charge. Ore smelting matte, rostein, turns out to be unsuitable for its direct processing into the valuable metals it contains, due to their relatively low concentration in this product. In view of this, the ore smelting matte is subjected to further concentration either by firing it followed by smelting in a shaft furnace, or by oxidative smelting on the bottom of a flame furnace, or in a converter. These contractile, or concentration, matte melts, produced in practice one or more times, have the ultimate goal of obtaining the pure most concentrated matte (fin matte), consisting only of sulfides of valuable metals with a certain amount of the latter in a free state. Finite mattes obtained in practice are of two types depending on their composition. When processing oxidized New Caledonian ores that do not contain valuable metals other than nickel, the matte is an alloy of nickel sulfide (Ni 3 S 2) with a certain amount of metallic nickel. As a result of processing sulfurous Canadian ores containing both nickel and copper, the resulting matte is an alloy of copper and nickel sulfides with a certain amount of these metals in a free state. Depending on the composition of the matte, their processing into pure metals also changes. The simplest is the processing of matte containing only nickel; processing of copper-nickel matte is more difficult and may carried out in various ways. The processing of oxidized ores into matte with sulfur-containing additives (gypsum) was proposed by Garnieri in 1874. The processing of these ores in Frankenstein (Germany) was carried out as follows. To the ore mixture containing 4.75% Ni, 10% gypsum or 7% anhydrite and 20% limestone were added; a certain amount of fluorspar was also added here. This entire mixture was thoroughly mixed, crushed and then pressed into bricks, which, after drying, were smelted in a shaft furnace with a coke consumption of 28-30% of the weight of the ore. The daily productivity of the shaft furnace reached 25 tons of ore. The cross-section of the furnace at the tuyere level is 1.75 m2; its height is 5 m. The lower part of the shaft to a height of 2 m had water jackets. The slags are highly acidic; 15% Ni was lost in them. Rostein composition: 30-31% Ni; 48-50% Fe and 14-15% S. The matte was granulated, crushed, fired and melted in a cupola furnace in a mixture with 20% quartz and at a coke consumption of 12-14% of the weight of the roasted matte for a concentrated matte of the following average composition: 65% Ni, 15% Fe and 20% S. The latter was converted into matte: 77.75% Ni, 21% S, 0.25-0.30% Fe and 0.15-0.20% Cu. Carefully crushed matte is fired in fiery furnaces (with manual or mechanical raking) until the sulfur is completely removed. At the end of firing, a certain amount of NaNO 3 and Na 2 CO 3 is added to the fired mass, not only to facilitate the burning of sulfur, but also to convert the As and Sb sometimes present in the matte into antimony and arsenic acid salts, which are then leached water from the calcined product. The NiO obtained as a result of firing is subjected to reduction, for which nickel oxide is mixed with flour and water and cubes are formed from the resulting dough, which are then heated in crucibles or retorts. At the end of reduction, the temperature rises to 1250°C, which promotes the welding of individual reduced Ni particles into a solid mass.

International Nickel Co. processes its sulfur ores trace. arr. Ore smelting, depending on their size, is carried out either in shaft or in flame furnaces. Lump ores are pre-roasted in heaps; firing duration is from 8 to 10 months. Roasted ore is smelted mixed with some unroasted ore in shaft furnaces. No fluxes are added, since the ore is self-fluxing. Coke consumption is 10.5% of the weight of the ore mixture. About 500 tons of ore are smelted in the furnace per day. The ore smelting matte is converted into high-grade matte. The converter slag is partly returned to the converter, and partly goes into the ore smelting charge. The composition of ores and products is given in the table:

Fine ore is roasted in Wedja furnaces to a sulfur content of 10-11% and then smelted in a flame furnace. Converter slag containing 79.5% (Cu + Ni), 20% S and 0.30% Fe is processed by the Orford process, which consists of melting matte in the presence of Na 2 S. The latter causes delamination of the smelting products into two layers: the upper one, representing alloy Cu 2 S + Na 2 S, and the lower one, containing almost pure nickel sulfide. Each of these layers is processed into a corresponding metal. The upper, copper-containing layer, after Na 2 S is separated from it, is subjected to conversion, and the lower, nickel, layer is subjected to chlorinating roasting, leaching (and it is freed from a certain amount of copper contained in it), and the resulting so. Nickel oxide is reduced. A certain amount of copper-nickel matte is subjected to oxidation roasting and subsequent reduction smelting into a copper-nickel alloy known as Monel metal.

Mond Nickel Co. enriches its ores; the resulting concentrates are subjected to sintering on Dwight-Lloyd machines, the agglomerate from which goes into the shaft furnace. The ore smelting matte is converted, the resulting matte is processed using the Mond method, for which the matte is crushed, fired and leached with H 2 SO 4 to remove most of the copper in the form of CuSO 4 . The residue, containing NiO with some copper, is dried and fed into the apparatus, where it is reduced at 300°C with hydrogen (water gas). The reduced, finely crushed nickel enters the next apparatus, where it is brought into contact with CO; in this case, volatile nickel carbonate is formed - Ni(CO) 4, which is transferred to the third apparatus, where the temperature is maintained at 150°C. At this temperature, Ni(CO) 4 decomposes into metallic Ni and CO. The resulting nickel metal contains 99.80% Ni.

In addition to the above two methods for producing nickel from copper-nickel matte, there is also the Hybinette method, which makes it possible to obtain nickel by electrolytic means. Electrolytic nickel contains: 98.25% Ni; 0.75% Co; 0.03% Cu; 0.50% Fe; 0.10% C and 0.20% Pb.

The issue of nickel production in the USSR has a hundred-year history. Already in the 20s of the last century, nickel ores were known in the Urals; At one time, the Ural nickel ore deposits, containing about 2% Ni, were considered as one of the main sources of raw materials for the world nickel industry. After the discovery of nickel ores in the Urals, M. Danilov, P. A. Demidov and G. M. Permikin carried out a number of experiments in their processing. In Revdinsk for 1873-77. 57.3 tons of metallic nickel were obtained. But further resolution of the task was stopped after the discovery of richer and more powerful deposits of nickel ores in New Caledonia. The issue of domestic nickel was again brought up for resolution under the influence of circumstances caused by the war of 1914-18. In the summer of 1915, at the Ufaleysky plant, P. M. Butyrin and V. E. Vasiliev conducted experiments in smelting matte in a flame furnace. At the same time, experiments were carried out on the extraction of nickel from Ufaley ores at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute G. A. Kashchenko under the guidance of prof. A. A. Baikov, and in the fall of 1915, test melts were carried out in a fiery furnace at the plant. In the summer of 1916, at the Revdinsky plant, experiments were carried out in the smelting of copper-nickel matte from low-grade nickel ores (0.86% Ni) and low-copper pyrites (1.5% Cu). The smelting was carried out in a shaft furnace. At the same time, Revda nickel-containing brown iron ores were smelted in a blast furnace into nickel cast iron (all the nickel ore is concentrated in cast iron), which was supplied under a contract with the maritime department to its Leningrad factories. All of the above studies, due to a number of circumstances, were not completed at that time in the form of corresponding factory processes. In recent years, the problem of obtaining nickel from the Ural ores has again come up for solution, and its practical implementation, in accordance with the nickel content in the ores, should proceed in two directions. The nickel content in the Ural ores is low, and according to it the ores are divided into two grades: 1st and 2nd. Grade 1 ores, suitable for pyrometallurgical processing, contain on average about 3% Ni; 2nd grade ore - about 1.5% and below. The last ores cannot be processed by smelting without prior enrichment. Another possibility for processing low-grade nickel ores is the hydrometallurgical route; he d.b. still studied. Currently, a plant is being built in the Urals to process 1st grade ores.

The properties of nickel are important parameters for the search, processing and applications of the metal. They are taken into account when forming compositions with other materials.

The properties of nickel determine its use in production

Nickel is a metal with a characteristic silvery-white color. At a temperature of 1453 °C it becomes liquid and boils at 2732 °C. Nickel is ductile and can be easily processed under pressure.

The chemical property of nickel is characterized by the ability to form compounds with different degrees of oxidation. Under natural conditions, a thin film of oxide appears on the surface of the metal.

The metal is highly resistant to corrosion. Nickel does not react with a number of concentrated acids and alkalis, but is actively dissolved in dilute nitric acid.

When nickel enters into chemical reactions, it forms volatile metals and soluble/insoluble salts

They do not react with nickel:

• inert gases;
• lithium;
• potassium;
• sodium;
• cesium;
• rubidium;
• strontium;
• barium;
• iridium;
• cesium.

With a carbon compound, nickel forms carbonyl, a volatile transition metal used in the process of producing high-purity materials. Nickel powder can spontaneously ignite when in contact with air, forming oxides.

Nickel produces a number of soluble and insoluble salts. For example, a solution of metal sulfate gives the liquid a green color. Insoluble salts usually have a deep yellow color.

Forms of metal occurrence

Under natural conditions, nickel is found in combination with a number of chemical elements, and in the form of nuggets is found in iron meteorites.

Under hydrothermal conditions, nickel forms compounds with arsenic, cobalt, and silver. Increased concentrations of the metal are associated with mineral formations - arsenides and sulfides.

In nature, nickel is usually found in compounds with other elements

The raw materials for extracting the valuable component are sulfide, copper-nickel ores containing arsenic:

• nickel - a compound with arsenic;
• chloantite - white pyrite containing cobalt and iron;
• garnierite - silicate rock containing magnesium;
• magnetic pyrite - a compound of sulfur with iron and copper;
• gersdorfit - arsenic-nickel luster;
• pentlandite is a compound of sulfur, iron and nickel.

The metal content in living organisms depends on the conditions and environment. Some representatives of flora and fauna are capable of concentrating metal.

The main ore deposits are located in Canada, the Russian Federation, Albania, South Africa, Cuba, and Greece.

The process of extracting metal from ores involves the use of technologies depending on the type of raw material. Sometimes nickel is a secondary material for enriching the rock.

Refractory ores containing magnesium are subjected to electric smelting. Laterite ores containing iron are processed using the hydrometallurgical method, followed by treatment with alkaline solutions.

Rock with less iron content is melted, roasted and electrically smelted. Along the way, metallic cobalt or its salts are recovered. An increased metal content is observed in coal ash in England. This fact is associated with the activity of microorganisms that concentrate nickel.

The ductility and other physical properties of nickel compounds depend on the purity of the material. A slight admixture of sulfur makes the metal brittle. Adding magnesium to the molten material clears the mixture of minor impurities to form a compound with sulfur.

Nickel Applications

The physical and chemical properties of the metal determine its use:

• in the production of stainless steel;
• for the formation of alloys that do not contain iron;
• for the purpose of applying protective coatings to products by galvanic method;
• for the production of chemical reagents;
• in powder metallurgy.

The metal is used in the production of batteries; with its help, catalytic processes of chemical reactions occur in industrial production. Titanium alloys are excellent materials for the manufacture of dentures and teeth straightening devices.

The composition based on chemical element No. 28 is a raw material for minting coins and making coils for electronic cigarettes. It is used to wind the strings of musical instruments.

In the manufacture of cores for electromagnets, compositions are used - permalloy, including 20–60% iron. Nickel is used in the manufacture of various parts and equipment for the chemical industry.

Metal oxides are used in the production of glass, glazes and ceramics. Modern production specializes in the production of a variety of rolled products: wire, tape, foil, tubes.

Nickel has a wide range of applications from coatings to chemicals

Resistance to aggressive environments allows the use of rolled nickel for transporting alkalis in the chemical industry.

Tools made from nickel-based alloy are used in medicine and scientific research. The metal is used to create precision instruments for remote control of processes in nuclear energy and radar installations.

Characteristics of nickel alloys

The compositions combine the metal mainly with iron and cobalt. It is used as an alloy component for the production of various structural types of steel, magnetic and non-magnetic alloys.

Metal alloys based on chemical element No. 28 have strength, resistance to temperatures, deformation, and environmental influences. Their number reaches several thousand. The most common compositions are combinations with chromium, molybdenum, aluminum, titanium, and beryllium.

The metal is considered a ligature component of gold, giving jewelry its characteristic white color and strength. In relation to this composition, there are opinions about the allergic effect of nickel on the skin.

In combination with chromium, a nichrome compound is formed, which has resistance to high temperatures, a minimum coefficient of electrical resistance, and ductility.

It is used for the manufacture of heating devices, parts, and as a coating. The high strength of the connection allows it to be subjected to machining, turning, welding, and stamping.

Nickel alloys have high strength, which allows them to be widely used in production

A special group is formed by alloys that include copper. Among them the most popular are:

• monel;
• brass;
• bronze;
• nickel silver.

More than a century ago, it was found that the iron-nickel composition, containing 28% of the described metal, loses its magnetization properties. Alloys containing 36% nickel are characterized by an insignificant linear expansion rate, which allows them to be used in the manufacture of precision instruments and instruments.

This composition, which is designated FeNi36, is called invar, that is, “unchanged.” The alloy Kovar, containing 29% nickel, 17% cobalt and 54% iron, has found widespread use in production.

It has high adhesion to molten glass, which allows the composition to be used for the manufacture of electrical leads passing through this substance.

Use of nickel in alloys

Nickel is the basis of most heat-resistant materials used in the aerospace industry for power plant parts.

• Monel metal (65 - 67% Ni + 30 - 32% Cu + 1% Mn), heat resistant up to 500 °C, very corrosion resistant;
• nichrome, resistance alloy (60% Ni + 40% Cr);
• permalloy (76% Ni + 17% Fe + 5% Cu + 2% Cr), has high magnetic susceptibility with very low hysteresis losses;
• invar (65% Fe + 35% Ni), almost does not elongate when heated.
• In addition, nickel alloys include nickel and chromium-nickel steels, nickel silver and various resistance alloys such as constantan, nickel and manganin.

All stainless steels necessarily contain nickel, because... Nickel increases the chemical resistance of the alloy. Nickel alloys are also characterized by high toughness and are used in the manufacture of durable armor. In the manufacture of the most important parts of various devices, a nickel-iron alloy (36-38% nickel) is used, which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

In the manufacture of electromagnet cores, alloys under the general name permalloy are widely used. These alloys, in addition to iron, contain from 40 to 80% nickel. Coins are minted from nickel alloys. The total number of different nickel alloys in practical use reaches several thousand.

Nickel in its pure form is mainly used as protective coatings against corrosion in various chemical environments. Protective coatings on iron and other metals are obtained by two well-known methods: cladding and electroplating. In the first method, the clad layer is created by hot rolling a thin nickel plate with a thick iron sheet together. The ratio of the thickness of nickel and the metal being coated is approximately 1:10. In the process of joint rolling, due to mutual diffusion, these sheets are welded, and a monolithic two-layer or even three-layer metal is obtained, the nickel surface of which protects this material from corrosion.

This kind of hot method of creating protective nickel coatings is widely used to protect iron and unalloyed steels from corrosion. This significantly reduces the cost of many products and devices made not from pure nickel, but from relatively cheap iron or steel, but coated with a thin protective layer of nickel. Large tanks are made from nickel-plated iron sheets for transporting and storing, for example, caustic alkalis, which are also used in various chemical industries.

The electroplating method of creating protective coatings with nickel is one of the oldest methods of electrochemical processes. This operation, widely known in technology as nickel plating, is in principle a relatively simple technological process. It involves some preparatory work in very thoroughly cleaning the surface of the metal being coated and preparing an electrolytic bath consisting of an acidified solution of a nickel salt, usually nickel sulfate. In electrolytic plating, the material being coated serves as the cathode, and a nickel plate serves as the anode. In a galvanic circuit, nickel is deposited on the cathode with an equivalent transition from the anode to the solution. The nickel plating method is widely used in engineering and large quantities of nickel are consumed for this purpose.

Recently, the method of electrolytic nickel plating has been used to create protective coatings on aluminum, magnesium, zinc and cast iron. The paper describes the use of the nickel plating method for aluminum and magnesium alloys, in particular for the protection of duralumin blades of propeller-driven aircraft. Another paper describes the use of nickel-plated cast iron drying drums in papermaking; A significant increase in the corrosion resistance of drums and an increase in the quality of paper on nickel-plated drums compared to conventional cast iron drums without nickel plating have been established.

Nickel plating is carried out by electroplating using electrolytes containing nickel(II) sulfate, sodium chloride, boron hydroxide, surfactants and brightening agents, and soluble nickel anodes. The thickness of the resulting nickel layer is 12 - 36 microns. Stable surface gloss can be ensured by subsequent chrome plating (chrome layer thickness 0.3 microns).

Currentless nickel plating is carried out in a solution of a mixture of nickel(II) chloride and sodium hypophosphite in the presence of sodium citrate:

NiCl 2 + NaH 2 PO 2 + H 2 O = Ni + NaH 2 PO 3 + 2HCl

The process is carried out at pH 4 - 6 and 95 °C.

Production of iron-nickel, nickel-cadmium, nickel-zinc, nickel-hydrogen batteries.

The most common “cons” in chemical current sources are zinc, cadmium, iron, and the most common “pros” are oxides of silver, lead, manganese, and nickel. Nickel compounds are used in the production of alkaline batteries. By the way, the iron-nickel battery was invented in 1900 by Thomas Alva Edison.

Positive electrodes based on nickel oxides have a fairly large positive charge, they are stable in the electrolyte, are easy to process, are relatively inexpensive, last a long time and do not require special care. This set of properties has made nickel electrodes the most common. Some batteries, particularly zinc-silver batteries, have better specific characteristics than iron-nickel or nickel-cadmium batteries. But nickel is much cheaper than silver, and expensive batteries last much less.

Nickel oxide electrodes for alkaline batteries are made from a paste containing nickel oxide hydrate and graphite powder. Sometimes, instead of graphite, the functions of a conductive additive are performed by thin nickel petals evenly distributed in nickel hydroxide. This active mass is packed into conductive plates of various designs.

In recent years, another method for producing nickel electrodes has become widespread. The plates are pressed from a very fine powder of nickel oxides with the necessary additives. The second stage of production is sintering the mass in a hydrogen atmosphere. This method produces porous electrodes with a very developed surface, and the larger the surface, the greater the current. Batteries with electrodes made by this method are more powerful, more reliable, lighter, but also more expensive. Therefore, they are used in the most critical objects - radio-electronic circuits, current sources in spacecraft, etc.

Nickel electrodes, made from the finest powders, are also used in fuel cells. Here the catalytic properties of nickel and its compounds acquire particular importance. Nickel is an excellent catalyst for complex processes occurring in these current sources. By the way, in fuel cells, nickel and its compounds can be used to make both “plus” and “minus”. The only difference is in the additives.

The nuclide 63 Ni, which emits β+ particles, has a half-life of 100.1 years and is used in krytrons. Nickel plates have recently been used instead of cadmium plates in mechanical neutron beam interrupters in order to obtain neutron pulses with high energy values.

• Used in the manufacture of bracket systems.
• Prosthetics

The formation of a scarlet precipitate when adding dimethylglyoxime to an ammonia solution of the analyzed mixture is the best reaction for the qualitative and quantitative determination of nickel. But nickel dimethylglyoxymate is not only needed by analysts. The beautiful deep color of this complex compound has attracted the attention of perfumers: nickel dimethylglyoximate is introduced into the composition of lipstick. Some of the compounds like nickel dimethylglyoxymate are the basis of very light-resistant paints.

There are interesting indications about the use of nickel plates in ultrasonic installations, both electrical and mechanical, as well as in modern designs of telephone sets.

There are some areas of technology where pure nickel is used either directly in powder form or in the form of various products obtained from pure nickel powders.

One of the areas of application of powdered nickel is catalytic processes in the hydrogenation reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons, cyclic aldehydes, alcohols, and aromatic hydrocarbons.

The catalytic properties of nickel are similar to those of platinum and palladium. Thus, the chemical analogy of elements of the same group of the periodic table is reflected here. Nickel, as a metal cheaper than palladium and platinum, is widely used as a catalyst in hydrogenation processes.

For these purposes, it is advisable to use nickel in the form of a very fine powder. It is obtained by a special mode of reduction of nickel oxide with hydrogen in the temperature range of 300-350°.