Nickel and cobalt are components that have been used since the dawn of civilisation, especially within artefacts such as weapons, jewellery and coins. These elements are typically chosen due to their tolerances within diverse working conditions, which lets them be used in locations and environments that don’t allow the use of other materials, such as jet engines and gas turbines.

WHY OPT FOR NICKEL AND COBALT ALLOYS?

These materials are incredibly useful in many specialised industries that require components which have been created to withstand harsh environments, due to incredible properties like:

  • Resistance to high temperatures
  • Resistance to corrosion and wear and tear
  • Electrical resistance
  • Ferromagnetism

If you’re looking for durable parts that will last for a long time and in challenging conditions, then you may want to consider a combination of nickel and cobalt, which at Dean Group we offer as premium grade investment casting.

NICKEL

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

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 1,115oC 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 casting.

NICKEL-COBALT ALLOYS

Both nickel and cobalt can be combined to create Superalloys 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.