Nickel Wire - Material Information

Nickel is a silvery-white transition metal known for its excellent corrosion resistance, ductility, and thermal stability. Discovered in 1751 by A.F. Cronstedt, it has become indispensable across industries due to its ability to form protective oxide layers, maintain strength at high temperatures, and alloy with a wide range of elements. In wire form, nickel is especially valued for its use in heating elements, sensors, and electrical components that must withstand extreme environments.

Material Overview

Nickel crystallizes in a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, providing high ductility and toughness. With a melting point of 1455 °C and excellent oxidation resistance, it is stable in air and water but dissolves in most dilute acids. Modern research continues to refine nickel’s performance in wire applications. Jiang et al. (2022) demonstrated that adding TiC nanoparticles to nickel alloys during wire-arc additive manufacturing significantly improved tensile strength (up to 590 MPa) and corrosion resistance due to grain refinement and the formation of dense passive films. Qi et al. (2022) found that controlled nickel addition in CoCrFeNi-based high-entropy alloys enhances mechanical strength through fine-grain stabilization, while excessive Ni can reduce chloride-ion pitting resistance. Nickel’s ability to form protective chromium–nickel oxide layers (as shown by Yoshinari et al., 2005) underpins its use in corrosion-resistant superalloys used for high-temperature structural components.

Applications and Advantages

Nickel wire combines thermal stability, chemical inertness, and electrical conductivity, making it ideal for applications in resistance heating, thermocouples, and vacuum electronics. It serves as a core material in nickel–chromium (Nichrome) heating elements, electrodes, and shielding wires. Guo et al. (2021) reported that Cu–Ni alloys fabricated by wire-arc additive manufacturing exhibit exceptional corrosion resistance and mechanical uniformity, illustrating nickel’s critical role in advanced conductor technologies. Nickel’s paramagnetic behavior and resistance to oxidation make it essential in aerospace, chemical processing, and energy storage technologies. Its compatibility with many elements also facilitates alloy design for superalloys, stainless steels, and electrochemical systems such as batteries and catalysts.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies Nickel (Ni) Wire in high-purity form suitable for research and industrial use. Each product is processed to ensure superior chemical stability and mechanical integrity, ideal for electrical, thermal, and corrosion-resistant applications. Custom diameters, coil lengths, and surface finishes are available upon request.

Explore Nickel (Ni) Wire and other advanced materials in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Jiang, X., Di, X., Li, C., Wang, D., & Hu, W. (2022). Improvement of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance for wire-arc additive manufactured nickel alloy 690 by adding TiC particles. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 922, 167198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.167198
• Guo, C., Taiyu, K., Wu, S., Meng, Y., Liu, W., & Chen, F. (2021). Microstructure, mechanical, and corrosion resistance of copper–nickel alloy fabricated by wire-arc additive manufacturing. MRS Communications, 11(6), 1102–1111. https://doi.org/10.1557/S43579-021-00120-1
• Qi, W. B., Su, Y., Yang, X., Zhao, Y. N., Zhang, Y. H., & Wang, W. (2022). Effects of nickel on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of CoCrFeNixAl0.15Ti0.1 high-entropy alloy. Research and Application of Materials Science, 4(2), 8468. https://doi.org/10.33142/rams.v4i2.8468
• Wu, M., He, L., Xie, D., Cao, P., Cheng, Y., Zhou, S., Fang, R., & Sang, Z. (2016). Anti-corrosion tensile-resistance cupronickel wire. Patent.
• Yoshinari, A., Hashizume, R., Morinaga, M., & Murata, Y. (2005). Nickel-based superalloys with excellent mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance. Patent, Hitachi, Japan.