Nickel & Cobalt Alloys

Nickel is extremely versatile and will alloy with most metals. Alloys created with a nickel base tend to have other components added, like cobalt, titanium and aluminium, as well as a wide range of other elements. These materials are incredibly resistant to high temperatures, which is why they are used for aircrafts, nuclear power stations and a vast range of medical applications.

Cobalt provides a high degree of resistance to corrosion and is wear-resistant – a characteristic that makes it invaluable for many industries. This ferromagnetic metal loses its magnetic properties at 1,115^oC, and, just like titanium, it’s useful in medical orthopaedic implants that can last for a very long time. The metal can also be alloyed with 95% platinum to create pieces of jewellery, which means it’s a material that’s appropriate for fine investment casting.

Both nickel and cobalt can be combined to create superalloys that are capable of being used in even the most difficult situations. One example is Alnico, a blend of iron, aluminium, nickel and cobalt, used to create permanent magnets. These magnets can be found in electric motors and magnetron tubes, in addition in turbine blades for gas turbines and jet aircraft engines.