Nickel
Real Metals · Common · Modern
An essential ingredient in stainless steel and countless industrial alloys, nickel is one of the most important metals of the modern era despite its unglamorous reputation. It is also a primary component of the Earth's core.
Identity
- Symbol
- Ni
- Atomic number
- 28
- Source
- Natural element
- Used in
- Cupronickel, Inconel, Maillechort, Nitinol, Stainless Steel
- Aliases
- Ni, Kupfernickel (archaic)
Physical Properties
- Appearance
- Lustrous silver with a faint golden tinge, takes a high polish
- Luster
- Metallic
- Density
- 8.91 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 1455 °C
- Boiling point
- 2913 °C
- Lighter
- Orichalcum
- Denser
- Copper
- Magnetism
- Ferromagnetic
- Electrical conductivity
- Medium
Mechanical Properties
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Tensile strength
- 345 MPa
- Softer
- White Gold
- Harder
- Cold Iron
- Workability
- Moderate
- Brittleness
- Tough
- Malleability
- Moderate
- Ductility
- Moderate
Chemical Properties
- Corrosion resistance
- high
- Reactivity
- low
Lore & Narrative
Its name comes from the German Kupfernickel, 'goblin copper', because medieval miners found a copper-colored ore that yielded no copper when smelted. They blamed mischievous spirits. The ore was nickel arsenide.
- Notable uses
- Stainless steel, batteries, coinage, jet engines, chemical reactors
- Forge uses
- alloys, coinage, industrial components
- Worldbuilding traits
- industrial, magnetic, modern, alloy-base
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