It was the year 1751. In little Sweden, thanks to the scientist Axel Frederick Krondstedt, 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 new one, his name is nickel.
A bit of history
Many years before this wonderful discovery, miners from Saxony were familiar with ore that could be mistaken for copper ore. Attempts to extract copper from this material were futile. Feeling deceived, they began to call the ore "cuprous nickel" (in Russian - "copper devil").
The mineral expert Krondstedt became interested in this ore. After long labor, a new metal was obtained, which was called nickel. Bergman intercepted the baton of research. He further refined the metal 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 atomic number 28. If you remove the symbol Ni in the table, this is nickel. It has a shade of yellow, on a silver base. Even in air, the metal does not become faded. Solid and fairly viscous. Good forging, so you can make 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 visible. Nickel is a metal resistant to corrosion. It exhibits weak chemical activity. What about the chemical properties of nickel?
Chemical properties
What is needed to determine the qualitative composition of nickel? Here it is necessary to list which atoms (namely, their number) our metal consists of. The molar mass (also called atomic mass) is 58.6934 (g / mol). With measurements, they have moved further. The atomic radius 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. On the scale of the famous crystallographer and the great chemist Pauling, electronegativity is 1.91, and the electronic potential is 0.25 V.
The effects of air and water on nickel are practically negligible. The same can be said of alkali. Why does this metal react like that? On its surface, NiO is created. This coating is in the form of a film that prevents oxidation. If the nickel is heated to a very high temperature, then it begins to show a reaction with oxygen, and also acts with halogens, and with all.
If nickel gets into nitric acid, then the reaction will not take long. It is also willingly activated in solutions containing ammonia.
But not all acid acts on nickel. Acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric dissolve it very slowly, but surely. And attempts to do the same with nickel in phosphoric acid were generally unsuccessful.
Nickel in nature
The speculation of scientists is that the core of our planet is an alloy in which iron contains 90%, and nickel is 10 times less. There is the presence of cobalt - 0.6%. In the process of rotation, nickel atoms emerged into the earth's coating layer. They are the founders of sulfide copper-nickel ores, together with copper and sulfur. Some bolder nickel atoms did not stop there and paved the way further. Atoms sought to surface in the company with chromium, magnesium, iron. Further, the fellow travelers of our metal were oxidized and disconnected.
Acidic rocks and ultrabasic rocks occur on the surface of the globe. According to scientists, the nickel content in acidic rocks is much lower than in ultrabasic. Therefore, the soil and vegetation there are quite well enriched with nickel. But the journey of the hero in question in the biosphere and water was not so noticeable.
Nickel ores
Nickel ores are divided into two types.
- Sulfide copper-nickel. Minerals: magnesium, pyrrhotite, cubanite, millerite, petlandite, sperrylite - this is what is contained in these ores. Thanks to the magma that formed them. Sulphide ores can also produce palladium, gold and more.
- Silicate nickel ores. They are loose, like clay. Ores of this type are glandular, siliceous, magnesian.
Where is nickel used
Nickel is widely used in such a powerful industry as metallurgy. Namely, in the manufacture of a wide variety of alloys. Basically, the alloy includes iron, nickel and cobalt. There are many alloys based on nickel. Our metal combines into an alloy, for example, with titanium, chromium, and molybdenum. Nickel is also used to protect products that quickly corrode. These products are nickel-plated, that is, they create a special nickel coating that prevents corrosion from doing their nasty thing.
Nickel is a very good catalyst. Therefore, it is actively used in the chemical industry. These are devices, chemical dishes, apparatus for various applications. Tanks and tanks made of nickel materials are used for chemicals, food, alkali delivery, storage of essential oils. They can’t do without this metal in atomic engineering, television, in a variety of devices, the list of which is very long.
If you look into a sphere such as instrumentation, and then into the sphere of mechanical engineering, you will notice that anodes and cathodes are nickel sheets. And this is not the whole list of applications for such a 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 with which he works. Instruments undergo numerous sterilization, and if they are made of an alloy that does not include nickel, then corrosion will not take long. And tools made of steel that contains nickel last much longer.
If we talk about implants, nickel alloys are used for their manufacture. Nickel-containing steel has a high degree of strength. Devices for fixing bones, dentures, screws - all made of this steel. In dentistry, implants also took their strong position. Clasps, stainless steel braces use orthodontists.
Nickel in living organisms
If you look at the world from the bottom up, the picture looms like this. There is soil under our feet. The nickel content in it is greater than in the vegetation. But if you look at this vegetation under the prism that interests us, then the high nickel content is in legumes. And in cereals, the percentage of nickel increases.
Let us consider briefly the average nickel content in plants, marine and terrestrial animals. And of course, in man. The measurement is in weight percent. So, the mass of nickel in plants is 5 * 10 -5 . Terrestrial animals 1 * 10 -6 , marine animals 1.6 * 10 -4 . And in humans, the nickel content is 1-2 * 10 -6 .
The role of nickel in the human body
You always want to be a healthy and beautiful person. Nickel is one of the important trace elements in the human body. Nickel usually builds up in the lungs, kidneys, and liver. Accumulations of nickel in humans are found in the hair, thyroid and pancreas. And that’s not all. What does metal do in the body? Here we can safely say that he is both a Swiss and a reaper, and a dude on the pipe. Namely:
- not without success, trying to help provide cells with oxygen;
- redox work in the tissues also fall on the shoulders of nickel;
- Do not hesitate to participate in the regulation of the hormonal background of the body;
- oxidizes vitamin C safely;
- his involvement in fat metabolism can be noted;
- excellent nickel affects blood formation.
I would like to note the great importance of nickel in the cell. This trace element protects the cell membrane and nucleic acids, namely their design.
Although the list of decent works of nickel can be continued. From the above, we note that the body needs nickel. This microelement enters our body through food. Usually there is enough nickel in the body, because it needs very little. The wake-up call for our metal deficiency is the appearance of dermatitis. This is the meaning of nickel in the human body.
Nickel Alloys
There are many different nickel alloys. We note the main three groups.
The first group includes nickel and copper alloys. They are called nickel-copper alloys. In whatever ratio these two elements are fused, the result is amazing and most importantly - no surprises. Homogeneous alloy guaranteed. If more copper than nickel is present in it, then the properties of copper are more pronounced, and if nickel prevails, the alloy exhibits the character of nickel.
Nickel-copper alloys are popular in the production of coins, machine parts. Konstantin alloy, in which almost 60% of copper, and the rest is nickel, is used to create equipment of higher accuracy.
Consider an alloy with nickel and chrome. Nichromes. Resistant to corrosion, acids, heat resistant. Such alloys are used for jet engines, nuclear reactors, but only if up to 80% of nickel is present in them.
Let's move on to the third group of alloys. These are alloys with iron. They are divided into 4 types.
- Heat resistant - resistant to high temperatures. Such an alloy contains almost 50% nickel. Here the combination can be with molybdenum, titanium, aluminum.
- Magnetic - increase magnetic permeability, often used in electrical engineering.
- Anticorrosive - this alloy is indispensable in the production of chemical equipment, as well as when working in an aggressive environment. The alloy includes molybdenum.
- An alloy that retains its size and elasticity. Thermocouple in the oven. This is where such an alloy goes. When heated, 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 approximately 40%.
Nickel in the home
If you look around, you can understand that nickel alloys surround a person everywhere. Let's start with the furniture. Alloy protects the base of the furniture from damage, harmful effects. Let's pay attention to the fittings. At least on the window, at least on the furniture. It can be used for a long time and looks very nice. We continue our excursion to the bathroom. There is no nickel here. Watering cans for a shower, the crane, the mixer - all this is 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. Nickel-plated parts are found in decorative buildings.
Nickel can not be called a secondary metal. Different minerals and ores 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 blood-forming processes and even in DNA. It is widely used in technology. Nickel prevailed due to its chemical resistance to coating protection.
Nickel is a metal that has a great future. Indeed, in some areas it is indispensable.