Nickel Chrome Alloys' Application in Hard Wearing Coatings, Heating Elements and Electrical Ignition

Nichrome is characterised by a silver-grey colour and has a high resistance to electrical flow and heat. It is also very resistant to corrosion and wear, is very durable and has a very high melting point at around 1,400℃.

Nickel chrome alloys, or Nichrome, are alloys that contain nickel, chromium and sometimes iron. The chemical formula is NiCr, or sometimes NiFeCr if iron is included. Nichrome alloys are usually composed of 80% nickel and 20% chromium (Nichrome 80/20), other compositions can be found in different ratios. In Nexteck, we also provide  60% nickel and 15% chromium as well as 30% nickel and 20% chromium.

As nichrome is very wear resistant it is also a popular for creating hard wearing coatings both for decorative and engineering purposes. Nickel chrome alloys are commonly used in aircraft engine turbines, for example, due to their durability, resistance to heat and general toughness.

Nichrome is a popular material for heating elements as its resistance to oxidation. Take heating elements in a household toaster for instance, they are most commonly made of thick nichrome wire. When used in this way the nichrome is typically wound in coils to a certain electrical resistance before a current is passed through to produce the heat that is emitted. When nichrome is heated to high temperatures it develops an outer layer of chromium oxide, therefore protected from oxidation.

Another popular use of nichrome is in fireworks and explosives as an electrical ignition. When current flows through it, the nichrome glows red hot and heats up extremely quickly even with a small voltage. This makes it an excellent choice for igniting fireworks and other pyrotechnics as it can be activated from a safe distance at the push of a button.

Nexteck Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of nickel products, including high purity nickels, Ni99.98 for instance. We supply nickel chromium in the forms of strip, foil, sheet, ribbon, wire and fine wire for broad range of applications.