nickel

nickel nurser

A stingy person; a penny pincher. Primarily heard in US. I used to hate going out to restaurants with my ex-girlfriend. She was such a nickel nurser that we'd never get anything nice to eat, and she always refused to leave a tip.See also: nickel

not have two nickels to rub together

To be extremely poor; to have very little or no money to spend. Primarily heard in US. During college, when I didn't have two nickels to rub together, I survived off of ramen noodles for months at a time. They used to be so well off, but the economy crashed and their business closed, and they don't have two nickels to rub together anymore.See also: have, nickel, not, rub, together, two

be not worth a plug nickel

obsolete To be completely worthless or useless; to have little or no value. (A variant of "not worth a plugged nickel.") Refers to coins (not only nickels) that were "plugged"—that is, those that had a hole drilled in their center and were filled with cheaper metals—which made the coins illegitimate and worthless if spotted. Primarily heard in US. I was so excited when my grandpa said he'd give me his car, but this old clunker isn't worth a plug nickel. Over the years working here I've come to realize that the boss's promises aren't worth a plug nickel.See also: nickel, not, plug, worth

not worth a plug nickel

obsolete Completely worthless or useless; having little or no value. (A variant of "not worth a plugged nickel.") Refers to coins (not only nickels) that were "plugged"—that is, those that had a hole drilled in their center and were filled with cheaper metals—which made the coins illegitimate and worthless if spotted. Primarily heard in US. I was so excited when my grandpa said he'd give me his car, but this old clunker isn't worth a plug nickel. Over the years working here I've come to realize that the boss's promises aren't worth a plug nickel.See also: nickel, not, plug, worth

nickel and dime (one) to death

To assess costs or fees in enough small amounts that it adds up to a substantial sum. Between the increases in property tax, sales tax, and income tax, I feel like the government is trying nickel and dime us to death. These phone companies all make their profits by nickeling and diming their customers with hidden charges and fees.See also: and, death, dime, nickel

not have two pennies to rub together

To be extremely poor; to have very little or no money to spend. During college, when I didn't have two pennies to rub together, I survived off of ramen noodles for months at a time. They used to be so well off, but after the economy crashed and their business closed, they don't have two pennies to rub together anymore.See also: have, not, penny, rub, together, two

don't take any wooden nickels

Take care and, specifically, try not to get swindled. The phrase is thought to have originated in the early 20th century when country residents visiting the city were considered easily duped. Primarily heard in US. Have fun tonight and don't take any wooden nickels!See also: any, nickel, take, wooden

nickel and dime (one)

To assess costs or fees in enough small amounts that it adds up to a substantial sum. Between the increases in property tax, sales tax, and income tax, I feel like the government is constantly trying to nickel and dime us. My phone company has been nickel and diming me for years.See also: and, dime, nickel

nickel-and-dime

To assess costs or fees in enough small amounts that it adds up to a substantial sum. Between the increases in property tax, sales tax, and income tax, I feel like the government is trying nickel-and-dime us to death. That phone company is nickel-and-diming their customers with all those fees.

not worth a damn

Having no value or integrity; worthless. The company offered vouchers to its employees, but they aren't worth a damn. You've broken your word so many times that your promises aren't worth a damn. My brother gave me his old laptop, but it's not worth a damn anymore.See also: damn, not, worth

a wooden nickel

A person or thing that only vaguely appears to have any real value, but is ultimately worthless. A nickel is worth five cents, thus already being worth very little. Primarily heard in US. This whole accreditation scheme has as much value as a wooden nickel when it does nothing to get you more work in the field.See also: nickel, wooden

accept a wooden nickel

To accept something that proves to be fraudulent or deceitful; to be swindled or conned. Primarily heard in US. I'm done accepting wooden nickels—capricious women who say they love me, then get bored and decide I'm not worth their time. My husband is a wonderful man, but he has about as much business sense as a grade-schooler. If I had let him accept all the wooden nickels offered flaky customers have tried to peddle on us, we'd have gone bankrupt years ago.See also: accept, nickel, wooden

not worth a plugged nickel

obsolete Completely worthless or useless; having little or no value. Refers to coins (not only nickels) that were "plugged"—that is, those that had a hole drilled in their center and were filled with cheaper metals—which made the coins illegitimate and worthless if spotted. Primarily heard in US. I was so excited when my grandpa said he'd give me his car, but this old clunker isn't worth a plugged nickel. Over the years working here I've come to realize that the boss's promises aren't worth a plugged nickel.See also: nickel, not, plug, worth

double nickels

slang The speed limit of 55 miles per hour. "Nickel" refers to the US five-cent coin. Whoa, whoa, cool it with the double nickels—the speed limit here is 25!See also: double, nickel

I've seen better heads on nickel beers

slang Said when one deems someone to be stupid. The "head" is the foam that forms when beer is poured into a glass. It is used here as a pun in reference to one's head, representing their brain or intellect. Oh please, I've seen better heads on nickel beers—you can't believe a word that fool says. I can't believe you're so impressed with her—I've seen better heads on nickel beers, honestly.See also: beer, better, head, nickel, on, seen

I've seen better heads on nickel beers.

Rur. This person is stupid. Jim's good-looking, but I've seen better heads on nickel beers. My students this term aren't what you'd call bright. I've seen better heads on nickel beers.See also: beer, better, head, nickel, on, seen

nickel-and-dime someone (to death)

Fig. to make numerous small monetary charges that add up to a substantial sum. Those contractors nickel-and-dimed me to death. Just give me the whole bill at one time. Don't nickel-and-dime me for days on end.

not worth a damn

Inf. worthless. This pen is not worth a damn. When it comes to keeping score, she's not worth a damn.See also: damn, not, worth

not worth a damn

Also, not worth a plugged nickel or red cent or bean or hill of beans or fig or straw or tinker's damn . Worthless, as in That car isn't worth a damn, or My new tennis racket is not worth a plugged nickel. As for the nouns here, a damn or curse is clearly of no great value (also see not give a damn); a plugged nickel in the 1800s referred to a debased five-cent coin; a cent denotes the smallest American coin, which was red when made of pure copper (1800s); a bean has been considered trivial or worthless since the late 1300s (Chaucer so used it), whereas hill of beans alludes to a planting method whereby four or five beans are put in a mound (and still are worthless); and both fig and straw have been items of no worth since about 1400. A tinker's dam, first recorded in 1877, was a wall of dough raised around a spot where a metal pipe is being repaired so as to hold solder in place until it hardens, whereupon the dam is discarded. However, tinker's damn was first recorded in 1839 and probably was merely an intensification of "not worth a damn," rather than having anything to do with the dam. See also: damn, not, worth

nickel and dime

AMERICAN1. If you describe something as nickel and dime, you mean that it is not important or serious, or involves only small amounts of money. Note: A nickel is a five cent coin and a dime is a ten cent coin. I want to keep the campaign on the issues that matter. I'm not interested in that nickel and dime stuff. Some claim the company's nickel-and-dime charges are driving away sellers of inexpensive items. Note: You can also say nickel-dime with the same meaning. It's nickel-dime stuff, though, compared to what you and Michael have to deal with.2. If someone nickels and dimes someone or something, they harm them by continually taking small amounts of money away from them, or by continually making small changes or requests. Note: A nickel is a five cent coin and a dime is a ten cent coin. The claims aren't huge but there are a lot of them and it all adds up. We're getting nickeled and dimed to death.See also: and, dime, nickel

a wooden nickel

AMERICANIf you call something a wooden nickel, you mean that it is completely false or has no value. Note: A nickel is a five cent coin and a dime is a ten cent coin. He looked at the card as though it were a wooden nickel. `That doesn't prove a thing,' he said.See also: nickel, wooden

not have two pennies to rub together

not have two nickels to rub together

AMERICANIf someone doesn't have two pennies to rub together, they are poor. My parents had just married and they didn't have two pennies to rub together. He didn't have two nickels to rub together when he got here. I think he's done pretty well for himself. Note: In old-fashioned English, you can say that someone doesn't have two brass farthings to rub together or doesn't have two halfpennies to rub together. There I was — a really good skier with loads of potential and I didn't have two brass farthings to rub together. Note: You can use other nouns in similar structures when you mean that someone or something has none or very little of a particular quality. He's useless — he hasn't got two brain cells to rub together.See also: have, not, penny, rub, together, two

not worth a damn

having no value or validity at all. informalSee also: damn, not, worth

accept a wooden nickel

be fooled or swindled. US A wooden nickel is a worthless or counterfeit coin.See also: accept, nickel, wooden

not worth a plugged nickel

of no value. US A plugged coin has had a part removed and the space filled with base material. 1991 R. Hawkey & R. Bingham Wild Card If as much as a whisper gets out…none of our lives are going to be worth a plugged nickel. See also: nickel, not, plug, worth

not have two pennies to rub together

lack money; be very poor.See also: have, not, penny, rub, together, two

not have two — to rub together

have none or hardly any of the specified items, especially coins. informal 1999 Independent Soon you realise you have as many troubles when you are rich as when you haven't two pennies to rub together. See also: have, not, rub, together, two

ˌnickel-and-ˈdime

involving only a small amount of money; not important: I’m going to make serious money this time. No more no nickel-and-dime stuff for me. ▶ ˌnickel-and-ˈdime verb charge many small fees which add up to a large amount in total: Unlike other companies, we charge a flat fee so we won’t nickel-and-dime you to death.

don’t take any wooden ˈnickels

(American English) used when saying goodbye to somebody to mean ‘be careful’, ‘take care of yourself’: Well, see you around Tom. Don’t take any wooden nickels.See also: any, nickel, take, wooden

double nickels

and double buffalo n. the number fifty-five; the fifty-five-mile-per-hour speed limit. (Originally citizens band radio. The buffalo is on one side of the nickel.) You’d better travel right on those double nickels in through here. The bears are hungry. Double buffalo is for trucks. You can go seventy. See also: double, nickel

nickel and dime someone (to death)

tv. to make numerous small monetary charges that add up to a substantial sum. Just give me the whole bill at one time. Don’t nickel and dime me for days on end. See also: and, death, dime, nickel, someone

nickel and dime someone

verbSee nickel and dime someone to deathSee also: and, dime, nickel, someone

not worth a damn

mod. worthless. When it comes to keeping score, she’s not worth a damn. See also: damn, not, worth

not worth a plugged nickel

mod. worth little or nothing. This new battery is not worth a plugged nickel. See also: nickel, not, plug, worth

don't take any wooden nickels

Protect yourself (against fraud, loss, and so on). This warning against counterfeit coins dates from about 1900 and is distinctly American in origin, the nickel being a U.S. or Canadian five-cent coin. Why a wooden coin was selected is not known. Presumably making coins of wood would always have been more expensive than the intrinsic value of metal coins. Several writers suggest it replaced don’t take any wooden nutmegs, a now obsolete saying dating from colonial times when sharp traders sold wooden nutmegs mixed in with the real spice. In print the expression is found in Ring Lardner’s story, The Real Dope (1919), “In the mean wile—until we meet again—don’t take no wood nickles [sic] and don’t get impatient and be a good girlie.”See also: any, nickel, take, wooden

Don't take any wooden nickels

Don't let yourself be cheated. This expression was first heard in the early 20th century. Although there never were any wooden nickels as legal tender, country folk going to a city were likely to be cheated by all manner of ruses, including obviously counterfeit coins. Wooden nickels did exist, however, as bank promotions during and after the Great Depression; the “coins” were redeemable for prizes.See also: any, nickel, take, wooden

nickel

nickel,

metallic chemical element; symbol Ni; at. no. 28; at. wt. 58.6934; m.p. about 1,453&degC;; b.p. about 2,732&degC;; sp. gr. 8.902 at 25&degC;; valence 0, +1, +2, +3, or +4.

Nickel is a hard, malleable, ductile, lustrous, silver-white metal with a face-centered cubic crystalline structure. It takes a high polish. In its magnetic properties and chemical activity it resembles iron and cobalt, the elements preceding it in Group 10 of the periodic tableperiodic table,
chart of the elements arranged according to the periodic law discovered by Dmitri I. Mendeleev and revised by Henry G. J. Moseley. In the periodic table the elements are arranged in columns and rows according to increasing atomic number (see the table entitled
..... Click the link for more information. . It is a fairly good conductor of heat and electricity. In its familiar compounds nickel is bivalent, although it assumes other valences. It also forms a number of complex compounds. Most nickel compounds are blue or green. Nickel dissolves slowly in dilute acids but, like iron, becomes passive when treated with nitric acid. Finely divided nickel adsorbs hydrogen.

Commercially, the most important compound is the sulfate, which is used in electroplating, as a mordant in dyeing, in preparation of other nickel compounds, and in paints, varnishes, and ceramics. The nickel oxides are also important; they are used in ceramic glazes, in glass manufacture, in the preparation of alloys, and in the Edison batterybattery, electric,
device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy, consisting of a group of electric cells that are connected to act as a source of direct current.
..... Click the link for more information. . Pure wrought nickel in the form of sheets and wire has many uses. Finely divided nickel is used as a catalyst, e.g., in the hydrogenation of oils. Nickel is used as a protective and ornamental coating for less corrosion resistant metals, especially iron and steel; it is applied by electroplating and by other methods (see platingplating,
application of a plate, or coat, of metal to a surface for decoration, reflection of light, protection against corrosion, or increased wearing quality. The practice is of ancient origin: gilding was developed early; the Romans soldered silver plates to articles of baser
..... Click the link for more information. ). It is used in the nickel-cadmium (NiCad) storage battery.

The major use of nickel is in the preparation of alloys. The chief attributes of nickel alloys are strength, ductility, and resistance to corrosion and heat. Many stainless steelssteel,
alloy of iron, carbon, and small proportions of other elements. Iron contains impurities in the form of silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, and manganese; steelmaking involves the removal of these impurities, known as slag, and the addition of desirable alloying elements.
..... Click the link for more information. contain nickel. Nickel steels are used in safes and armor plate. Alloys of nickel and copper are widely used, e.g., Monel metal, nickel bronze, and nickel silver. The so-called German silver is a nickel-copper alloy. Nickel-copper alloys are used in coinage; the American "nickel" coin is about one-fourth nickel. Constantan is a nickel-copper alloy used in thermocouples. Other alloys of nickel include nickel-chromium alloys (such as Nichrome) used for electric heating elements; alloys of aluminum, nickel, cobalt, and iron (such as Alnico) used to make magnets; and alloys of nickel, chromium, and cobalt used structurally in jet engines. Nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy, exhibits shape memoryshape memory,
property possessed by certain alloys that allows them to return, when heated, to their original shape after having been deformed. This effect results because, as the alloy is deformed, it undergoes a martensitic (or athermal) transformation—a solid-state
..... Click the link for more information. and is used in temperature control products, stents, and frames for eyeglasses.

Nickel occurs in a number of minerals; its chief ores are pentlanditepentlandite
, yellowish-bronze, opaque mineral, a sulfide of iron and nickel, (Fe,Ni)₉S₈. It is found in masses nearly always associated with the iron sulfide pyrrhotite. The largest deposit of this important ore of nickel is at Sudbury, Ont.
..... Click the link for more information. and pyrrhotitepyrrhotite
or magnetic pyrites,
bronze-yellow to bronze-red mineral, a sulfide of iron sometimes containing nickel. It tarnishes easily and is somewhat magnetic.
..... Click the link for more information. (nickel-iron sulfides) and garnieritegarnierite
, pale apple-green mineral, chemically a hydrous silicate of nickel and magnesium. An important ore of nickel, it is found in New Caledonia, Russia, and S Africa. In the United States it occurs in Oregon and North Carolina.
..... Click the link for more information. (nickel-magnesium silicate). Nickel is present in most meteorites. It is also found in trace amounts in plants and animals. Nickel sulfide ores are concentrated by the flotation processflotation process,
in mineral treatment and mining, process for concentrating the metal-bearing mineral in an ore. Crude ore is ground to a fine powder and mixed with water, frothing reagents, and collecting reagents.
..... Click the link for more information. , then smelted or roasted to partially convert them to the oxide form, and further treated in a Bessemer converter to form a matte. The metal is separated from copper and other metals present in the Bessemer matte by electrorefining or chemical methods (see Mond process under Mond, LudwigMond, Ludwig,
1839–1909, chemist; father of Alfred Moritz Mond, 1st Baron Melchett. He was born in Germany and became a naturalized British subject. Mond experimented with alkalies and also developed a producer gas known by his name.
..... Click the link for more information. ). The end product is in the form of nickel cathodes, pellets, or powder. Nickel was discovered in 1751 by A. F. Cronstedt in kupfernickel (niccolite), a copper-colored nickel arsenide mineral.

Nickel

(Latin, niccolum), a chemical element of the first triad of Group VIII in the Mendeleev periodic system. Atomic number, 28; atomic weight, 58.70. A silver-white metal, malleable and plastic. Natural nickel consists of a mixture of five stable isotopes: ⁵⁸Ni (67.76 percent), ⁶⁰Ni (26.16 percent), ⁶¹Ni (1.25 percent), ⁶³Ni (3.66 percent), and ⁶⁴Ni (1.16 percent).

History. Metallic nickel was first isolated in an impure state in 1751 by the Swedish chemist A. Cronstedt, who also proposed the name of the element. The metal was isolated in a considerably purer state by the German chemist I. Richter in 1804. The name “nickel” is derived from the German Kupfernickel (niccolite, NiAs), which has been known since the 17th century and which caused confusion among the miners because of its external resemblance to copper ore (in German, Kupfer means copper and Nickel is a mine spirit that was believed to slip barren rock to the miners instead of ore). Beginning in the mid-18th century, nickel was used only as a constituent of alloys that resembled silver in appearance. Vigorous development of the nickel industry in the 19th century was connected with the discovery of large deposits of nickel ores in New Caledonia and Canada, as well as with the discovery of nickel’s “ennobling” effect on steels.

Occurrence in nature. Nickel is an element of the depths of the earth (its content in the ultrabasic rocks of the mantle is 0.2 percent by weight). There is a hypothesis that the earth’s core consists of nickel-containing iron; according to this hypothesis, the total nickel content of the earth is estimated at 3 percent. In the earth’s crust, which contains 5.8 × 10^-3 percent nickel, the element also gravitates toward a deeper layer, called the basaltic layer. In the earth’s crust, nickel is an associated element of iron and magnesium; this is explained by the similarity in their valences (II) and ionic radii. Nickel is present as an isomorphic impurity in minerals of divalent iron and magnesium.

There are 53 known nickel minerals. Most of them were formed at high temperatures and pressures, either during the solidification of magma or from hot aqueous solutions. Deposits of nickel are associated with processes in the magma and the crust of weathering. Commercial nickel deposits (sulfide ores) usually contain nickel and copper minerals. Nickel is a relatively weak migrant on the earth’s surface and in the biosphere. There is relatively little nickel in surface waters and in living matter. In areas where ultrabasic formations predominate, the soil and plants are rich in nickel.

Physical and chemical properties. Under ordinary conditions nickel exists in the form of the β-modification, which has a face-centered cubic lattice (a = 3.5236 angstroms [Å]). However, nickel that undergoes cathode sputtering in an atmosphere of H₂ forms the α-modification, with a hexagonal close-packed lattice (a = 2.65 Å c = 4.32 Å), which passes into the cubic modification upon heating to temperatures above 200°C. Compact cubic nickel has a density of 8.9 g/cm³ (at 20°C) and an atomic radius of 1.24 Å. The ionic radii are as follows: for Ni²⁺, 0.79 Å for Ni³⁺, 0.72 Å Melting point, 1453°C; boiling point, about 3000°C; specific heat at 20°C, 0.440 kilojoule per (kg-°K), or 0.105 cal/(g-°C); temperature coefficient of linear expansion, 13.3×10^-6 (0°-100°C); thermal conductivity, 90.1 watts per (m-°K), or 0.215 cal/(cm-sec.°C), at 25°C and 60.01 W/(m.°K), or 0.148 cal/(cm•sec•°C), at 500°C; specific electric resistance, 68.4 nanohm•m, or 6.84 microhm•cm, at 20°C; temperature coefficient of electric resistance, 6.8 × 10^-3(0°-100°C).

Nickel is a malleable and ductile metal, from which extremely thin sheets and tubes may be made. Tensile strength, 400–500 meganewtons per sq m (MN/m²), or 40–50 kilograms-force per sq mm (kgf/mm²); elastic limit, 80 MN/m²; yield stress, 120 MN/m²; relative elongation, 40 percent; modulus of normal elasticity, 205 GN/m²; Brinell hardness, 600–800 MN/m². Nickel is ferromagnetic in the temperature range of 0°-631°K (the upper limit corresponds to the Curie point).

The ferromagnetism of nickel is caused by special structural features of the outer electron shells (3d⁸4s²) of its atoms. Along with iron (3d⁶4s²) and cobalt (3d⁷4s²), which are also ferromag-nets, nickel belongs to the elements with an incomplete 3d electron shell (the 3d transition metals). The electrons of the incomplete shell generate an uncompensated spin magnetic moment with an effective value of 6 μ_B, where μ_B is a Bohr magneton. A positive value of the exchange interaction in crystals of nickel leads to parallel orientation of the atomic magnetic moments—that is, to ferromagnetism. For the same reason, alloys and a number of compounds of nickel (oxides, halides, and so on) are magnetically ordered (they have ferromagnetic or, less frequently, ferrimagnetic structure). Nickel is a component of the most important magnetic materials and alloys, with minimum values of the coefficient of thermal expansion (such as Permalloy, Monel metal, and Invar).

Nickel is chemically similar not only to iron and cobalt but also to copper and the noble metals. In its compounds, nickel has variable valence (it is most frequently divalent). Nickel is a moderately active metal. It absorbs large quantities of gases (H₂, CO, and so on), particularly in the finely divided state; saturation with gases degrades its mechanical properties. Reaction with oxygen begins at 500°C; in the finely dispersed state nickel is pyrophoric (it ignites spontaneously in air). The most important oxide is the monoxide NiO, which consists of greenish crystals that are virtually insoluble in water (the mineral bunsenite). Upon addition of alkalies, the hydroxide precipitates from solutions of nickel salts as a voluminous apple-green precipitate. Nickel combines with halogens upon heating to give NiX₂. Burning in sulfur vapor yields the sulfide, which is similar in composition to Ni₃ S₂. The monosulfide NiS may be prepared by heating NiO with sulfur.

Nickel does not react with nitrogen even at high temperatures (up to 1400°C). The solubility of nitrogen in solid nickel is about 0.07 percent by weight (at 445°C). The nitride Ni₃N may be prepared by passing NH₃ over NiF₂, NiBr₂ or the powdered metal at 445°C. Reaction with phosphorus vapor at high temperature yields the phosphide Ni₃P₂ in the form of a gray mass. The existence of three arsenides in the Ni-As system has been established: Ni₅As₂, Ni₃As (the mineral maucherite), and NiAs. Many intermetallic compounds have the structure of the nickel arsenide type, in which the arsenic atoms form a hexagonal close-packed structure, whose octahedral voids are all occupied by nickel atoms. The unstable carbide Ni₃C may be prepared by slow carburization (hundreds of hours) of nickel powder in a CO atmosphere at 300°C. In the liquid state, nickel dissolves an appreciable quantity of carbon, which precipitates as graphite upon cooling. Separation of graphite causes nickel to lose its malleability and its ability to undergo pressure working.

Nickel is located to the right of iron in the electromotive series (their normal potentials are –0.44 and –0.24 volts, respectively); therefore, it dissolves more slowly than iron in dilute acids. Nickel is stable with respect to water. Organic acids have an effect on it only upon prolonged exposure. It is dissolved slowly by hydrochloric and sulfuric acids but rapidly by dilute nitric acid. Concentrated HNO₃ passivates nickel, but to a lesser degree than iron.

Reaction with acids leads to the formation of divalent nickel salts. Almost all salts of Ni (II) and strong acids are readily soluble in water, and their solutions have an acidic reaction because of hydrolysis. The salts of such relatively weak acids as carbonic and phosphoric acids are poorly soluble. Most salts decompose upon roasting (600°–800°C). One of the most useful salts is the sulfate NiSO₄, which crystallizes from solution in the form of emerald-green crystals of NiSo₄ . 7H₂O, or nickel vitriol. Strong alkalies have no effect on nickel, but it dissolves in ammonia solutions in the presence of (NH₄)₂C0₃, with the formation of soluble ammoniates, which have an intense blue color. Most of these compounds are characterized by the complex structures [Ni (NH₃)₆]²⁺ and [Ni (OH) (NH₃)₄]. The selective nature of the formation of ammoniates is the basis of the hydrometallurgical methods for the extraction of nickel from ores. NaOCl and NaOBr precipitate the black hydroxide Ni (OH)₃ from solutions of Ni (II) salts. In contrast to cobalt, nickel is usually divalent in its complexes. The complex of nickel with dimethylglyoxime, (C₄H₇O₂N)₂Ni, is used for analytical identification of nickel.

Nickel reacts with nitrogen oxides and with SO₂ and NH₃ at high temperatures. The carbonyl Ni (CO)₄ is produced by heating finely divided nickel with CO. The purest grade of nickel is produced by thermal dissociation of the carbonyl.

Production. About 80 percent of the production of nickel (excluding the USSR) is derived from sulfide cupronickel ores. Selective concentration of the ore by flotation yields copper, nickel, and pyrrhotine concentrates. The nickel ore concentrate is smelted in the presence of fluxes in electric or reverberatory furnaces to isolate the barren ore and extract the nickel in the form of a sulfide melt (matte), which contains 10–15 percent Ni. Electric smelting (the main smelting method in the USSR) is usually preceded by partial oxidative roasting and breaking-up of the concentrate into pieces. In addition to nickel, part of the iron and cobalt, as well as virtually all of the copper and noble metals, pass into the matte. Separation of iron by oxidation (blowing of the liquid matte in converters) yields a melt of the sulfides of copper and nickel (nickel matte), which is cooled slowly, finely ground, and sent to flotation to separate the copper and nickel. The nickel concentrate is roasted in a fluidized bed to give NiO. The metal is produced by reduction of NiO in electric arc furnaces. Crude nickel is cast into anodes and refined electrolytically. The impurity content in electrolytic nickel (type 110) is 0.01 percent.

The separation of copper and nickel is also accomplished by the carbonyl process, based on the reversibility of the reaction Ni + 4CO ⇆2; Ni (CO)₄. The preparation of nickel carbonyl is performed at 100–200 atmospheres and 200°–250°C, and its decomposition is accomplished in the absence of air at about 200°C, under atmospheric pressure. The decomposition of Ni (CO)4 is also used in the production of nickel coatings and various articles (decomposition on a hot matrix).

In modern “autogenous” processes, melting is produced by the heat evolved during the oxidation of sulfides by oxygen-enriched air. This process makes possible elimination of carbon-containing fuels and production of gases that are rich in SO₂, which are suitable for the production of sulfuric acid or elemental sulfur; it also sharply reduces the cost of production. The highest efficiency and greatest promise are offered by oxidation of molten sulfides. Increasing acceptance is being gained by processes based on treatment of nickel concentrates with solutions of acids or ammonia in the presence of oxygen at high temperatures and pressures (autoclave processes). Nickel is usually dissolved and separated from the solution in the form of a rich sulfide concentrate or a metallic powder (reduction with hydrogen under pressure).

Nickel from silicate (oxidized) ores may also be concentrated in the form of a matte by introduction of fluxes (gypsum or pyrite) to the charge. Reduction sulfurizing smelting is usually performed in shaft furnaces. The resultant matte contains 16–20 percent Ni, 16–18 percent S, and the remainder Fe. The technology of extraction of nickel from the matte is analogous to that described above, except that the operation of copper separation is frequently dropped. The most expedient form of processing for oxidized ores with a low cobalt content is reductive smelting to give ferronickel, which is used in the production of steel. Hydrometallurgical methods, such as ammonia leaching of prereduced ore and sulfuric-acid autoclave leaching, are also used for the extraction of nickel from oxidized ores.

Use. Most nickel is used for the production of alloys with other metals (for example, iron, chromium, and copper), which are distinguished by outstanding mechanical, anticorrosion, magnetic, or electrical and thermoelectric properties. Heat- and oxidation-resistant nickel alloys with adequate strength at high temperatures have acquired special importance in connection with the development of reaction technology and gas-turbine engines. Nickel alloys are also used in the construction of atomic reactors.

A considerable quantity of nickel is used in the production of alkaline batteries and anticorrosion coatings. Malleable nickel in the pure state is used in the production of sheets, tubes, and other products. It is also used in the chemical industry for the fabrication of special chemical equipment and as a catalyst in many chemical reactions. Nickel is a very scarce material, which must be replaced by other less expensive and more readily available materials wherever possible.

The processing of nickel ores is accompanied by the evolution of toxic gases containing SO₂ and frequently As₂O₃. A very toxic material is CO, which is used in the nickel refining process by the carbonyl method. Ni (CO)₄ is very volatile and toxic; in a mixture with air it explodes at 60°C. Protective measures include the use of airtight equipment and strong ventilation.

A. V. VANIUKOV

Nickel in the organism. Nickel is an essential trace element in organisms. Its average content in plants is 5.0 × 10^-5 percent, based on the weight of the raw material. The average nickel concentration in land animals is 1.0×10 ^-6 percent, and its concentration in marine animals is 1.6×10 ^-4 percent. In living organisms, nickel has been detected in the liver, skin, and endocrine glands. It accumulates in horny tissues, particularly feathers.

The physiological role of nickel has not been studied adequately. It was established that nickel activates the enzyme arginase and influences oxidative processes. In plants, nickel participates in a number of enzymatic reactions (carboxylation, hydrolysis of peptide linkages, and so on). Nickel-rich soils may increase the nickel content in plants by a factor of 30 or more, which leads to endemic diseases (distorted shapes of plants and eye diseases in animals, such as keratitis and keratoconjunctivitis, associated with increased concentrations of nickel in the cornea).

I. F. GRIBOVSKAIA

REFERENCES

Ripan, R., and I. Ceteanu. Neorganicheskaia khimiia. Vol. 2: Metally. Moscow, 1972. Pages 581–614. (Translated from Rumanian.)
Spravochnik metallurga po tsvetnym metallam. Vol. 2: Tsvetnye metally. Moscow, 1947. (Metallurgiia nikelia, pp. 269–392.)
Voinar, A. I. Biologicheskaia rol’mikroelementov v organizme zhivotnykh i cheloveka, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1960.
Biologicheskaia rol’ mikroelementov i ikh primenenie v sel’skom khoziaistve i meditsine, vols. 1–2. Leningrad, 1970.

nickel

[′nik·əl] (chemistry) A chemical element, symbol Ni, atomic number 28, atomic weight 58.69. (metallurgy) A silver-gray, ductile, malleable, tough metal; used in alloys, plating, coins (to replace silver), ceramics, and electronic circuits.

nickel

niche A silver-white metal; widely used as an additive to steel and cast-iron alloys; also used in electroplating metals which require resistance to corrosion.

nickel

1. a malleable ductile silvery-white metallic element that is strong and corrosion-resistant, occurring principally in pentlandite and niccolite: used in alloys, esp in toughening steel, in electroplating, and as a catalyst in organic synthesis. Symbol: Ni; atomic no.: 28; atomic wt.: 58.6934; valency: 0, 1, 2, or 3; relative density: 8.902; melting pt.: 1455?C; boiling pt.: 2914?C 2. a US and Canadian coin and monetary unit worth five cents

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Nickel

REFERENCES

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Patient discussion about nickel

Nickel

Nickel

nickel

Synonyms for nickel

noun a hard malleable ductile silvery metallic element that is resistant to corrosion

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noun a United States coin worth one twentieth of a dollar

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noun five dollars worth of a drug

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verb plate with nickel

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