Nickel - what is it? Properties of nickel

It was 1751 year. In small Sweden, thanks to the scientist Axel Frederick Krondstedt, an element number 17 appeared. At that time there were only 12 known metals, plus sulfur, phosphorus, carbon and arsenic. They took to their company a newcomer, the name to it - nickel.

A bit of history

Many years before this miraculous discovery, miners from Saxony were familiar with the ore that could be taken for copper ore. Attempts to extract copper from this material were in vain. Feeling deceived, the ore began to be called "kupfernikel" (in Russian - "copper devil").

This ore was interested in the expert on Krondstedt's minerals. After much work, a new metal was produced, which was called nickel. The baton for research was intercepted by Bergman. He cleared the metal even more and came to the conclusion that this element resembles iron.

Physical properties of nickel

Nickel is in the tenth group of elements and is in the fourth period of the periodic table under the atomic number 28. If in the table you take away the symbol Ni, this is nickel. It has a shade of yellow, on a silvery base. Even in air, the metal does not become faint. Solid and fairly viscous. It lends itself well to forging, which makes it possible to produce very thin products. Perfectly polished. Nickel can be pulled with a magnet. Even at a temperature of 340 degrees with a minus sign, the magnetic features of nickel are examined. Nickel is a metal that is resistant to corrosion. It exhibits weak chemical activity. What about the chemical properties of nickel?

Chemical properties

What is necessary to determine the qualitative composition of nickel? Here it is necessary to list from which atoms (namely, their number) our metal consists. The molar mass (also called the atomic mass) is 58.6934 (g / mol). With measurements progressed further. The radius of the atom of our metal is 124 pm. When measuring the radius of the ion, the result showed (+ 2e) 69 pm, and the number 115 pm is the covalent radius. According to the scale of the well-known crystallograph and the great chemist Pauling, electronegativity is 1.91, and the electron potential is 0.25 V.

The action of air and water on nickel is almost negligible. The same can be said about alkali. Why does this metal react so? NiO is created on its surface. This coating is in the form of a film that does not oxidize. If the nickel is heated to a very high temperature, then it begins to react with oxygen, and also acts with halogens, with all.

If nickel gets into nitric acid, then the reaction will not keep you waiting. It also readily activates in solutions containing ammonia.

But not all acid acts on nickel. Such acids, as hydrochloric and sulfuric, dissolve it very slowly, but it is true. And attempts to do the same with nickel in phosphoric acid were not successful at all.

Nickel in nature

The conjecture of scientists is that the core of our planet is an alloy in which iron contains 90%, and nickel is 10 times smaller. There is a cobalt content of 0.6%. In the process of rotation, nickel atoms were extracted into the earth's coating layer. They are the founders of sulphide copper-nickel ores, together with copper, sulfur. Some of the more bold atoms of nickel did not stop there and pushed the way further. On the surface, the atoms sought in the company with chromium, magnesium, iron. Then the fellow travelers of our metal were oxidized and disconnected.

On the surface of the globe there are acid rocks and ultrabasic rocks. According to scientists, the content of nickel in acid rocks is much lower than in ultrabasic rocks. Therefore, the soil and vegetation there are sufficiently well enriched with nickel. But the journey of the hero in question in the biosphere and water was not so noticeable.

Nickel ores

Industrial-nickel ores are divided into two types.

1. Copper-nickel sulfide. Minerals: magnesium, pyrrhotite, cubanite, milerite, petlandite, sperrylite - that is what is contained in these ores. Thank you magma, which formed them. Of sulphide ores, you can also get palladium, gold and much more.
2. Silicate nickel ores. They are loose, like clay. Ores of this type are glandular, siliceous, magnesian.

Where is nickel used?

Extensively, nickel is used in such a powerful industry as metallurgy. Namely, in the manufacture of a wide variety of alloys. The alloy mainly contains iron, nickel and cobalt. There are many alloys, which are based on nickel. Our metal is joined into an alloy, for example, with titanium, chromium, molybdenum. Nickel is also used to protect products that quickly undergo corrosion. These products are nickel plated, that is, they create a special nickel coating, which does not allow corrosion to do their opposite.

Nickel is a very good catalyst. Therefore, it is actively used in the chemical industry. They are devices, chemical vessels, devices for various applications. For chemicals, food, delivery of alkalis, storage of essential oils, cisterns and reservoirs of nickel materials are used. Without this metal can not do without nuclear technology, television, in a variety of devices, the list of which is very long.

If you look into such a sphere as instrumentation, and then into the sphere of mechanical engineering, you can see that the anodes and cathodes are nickel sheets. And this is not the whole list of the application of such simply wonderful metal. Do not underestimate the importance of nickel in medicine.

Nickel in medicine

Nickel in medicine is used very widely. First, take the tools necessary for the operation. The result of the operation depends not only on the doctor himself, but also on the quality of the instrument that he works with. Instruments are subjected to numerous sterilizations, and if they are made of an alloy that does not contain nickel, corrosion will not take long. And tools made of steel, which contains nickel, serve much longer.

If we talk about implants, nickel alloys are used to make them. Nickel-containing steel has a high degree of strength. Adaptations for fixing bones, dentures, screws - everything is made of this steel. In dentistry implants also took their strong positions. Braces, stainless steel braces are used by orthodontists.

Nickel in living organisms

If you look at the world from the bottom to the top, then the picture looms like this. We have soil under our feet. The nickel content in it is greater than in the vegetation. But if we consider this vegetation under the prism that interests us, then a large content of nickel is found in beans. And in cereals, the percentage of nickel increases.

Consider briefly the average nickel content in plants, marine and terrestrial animals. And of course, in man. The measurement is in percent by weight. So, the mass of nickel in plants is 5 * 10 ^-5 . Ground animals 1 * 10 ^-6 , marine animals 1,6 * 10 ^-4 . And in humans, the content of nickel is 1-2 * 10 ^-6 .

The role of nickel in the human body

A healthy and beautiful person wants to be always. Nickel is one of the important trace elements in the human body. Nickel usually accumulates in the lungs, kidneys and liver. Accumulations of nickel in humans occur in hair, thyroid and pancreas. And this is not all. What does metal in the body? Here you can safely say that he is a swine, a reaper, and a dude is a gambler. Namely:

• Not without success, trying to help provide cells with oxygen;
• Oxidation-reduction work in tissues also falls on the shoulders of nickel;
• Do not hesitate to take part in the regulation of the hormonal background of the body;
• Safely oxidizes vitamin C;
• It can be noted his involvement in the metabolism of fats;
• Perfectly nickel influences hemopoiesis.

I would like to note the huge importance of nickel in the cell. This microelement protects the cell membrane and nucleic acids, namely their construction.

Although the list of worthy works of nickel can continue. From the above, we note that nickel is necessary for the body. This micronutrient enters our body through food. Usually, nickel in the body is enough, because it needs very little. The alarming bells of our metal deficiency are the appearance of dermatitis. This is the value of nickel in the human body.

Nickel alloys

There are many different nickel alloys. We mention the main three groups.

The first group includes alloys of nickel and copper. They are called nickel-copper alloys. In whatever proportions these two elements are fused, the result is stunning and most important - without surprises. Homogeneous alloy is guaranteed. If it contains more copper than nickel, then the properties of copper are more pronounced, and if nickel predominates, the alloy shows the character of nickel.

Nickel-copper alloys are popular in the production of coins, machine parts. The Constantine alloy, in which almost 60% of copper, and the rest of nickel, is used in order to create equipment of higher accuracy.

Consider an alloy with nickel and chromium. Nichrome. Resistant to corrosion, acids, heat resistant. Such alloys are used for jet engines, nuclear reactors, but only if they contain up to 80% nickel.

Let us proceed to the third group of alloys. These are alloys with iron. Divide them into 4 types.

1. Heat resistant - resistant to high temperatures. This alloy contains nickel almost 50%. Here the combination can be with molybdenum, titanium, aluminum.
2. Magnetic - increase the magnetic permeability, often used in electrical engineering.
3. Anticorrosive - without this alloy can not do with the production of chemical equipment, as well as when working in an aggressive environment. The alloy includes molybdenum.
4. An alloy that retains its size and elasticity. Thermocouple in the furnace. It is here that such an alloy goes. When heated, the dimensions of the dimensions remain, and the elasticity is not lost. How much nickel does an alloy need with such properties? The metal in the alloy should be about 40%.

Nickel in everyday life

If you look around you can understand that nickel alloys surround a person everywhere. Let's start with the furniture. The alloy protects the furniture base from damage, harmful influences. Let's pay attention to the accessories. Though at the window, at least for furniture. It can be used for a long time and looks very nice. Let's continue our excursion to the bathroom. There is no nickel here. Shower trays, faucet, faucet - all this nickel-plated. Thanks to this you can forget what corrosion is. And do not be ashamed to look at the product, because it looks cute and supports the decor. Details with nickel plated are found in decorative buildings.

Nickel can not be called a secondary metal. Various minerals and ores can boast the presence of nickel. I am glad that such an element is present on our planet and even in the human body. Here he plays not the last violin in hematopoietic processes and even in DNA. Extensively used in engineering. The nickel gained its primacy thanks to its chemical resistance in the protection of coatings.

Nickel is a metal with a great future. After all, in some areas, it is indispensable.