Nickel

Symbol

Ni

Atomic number

28

Atomic mass	58.70		Thermal conductivity	0.907
Atomic radius	1.62		Covalent radius	1.15
Density	8.90		Atomic volume	6.59
Melting point	1726		Oxidation states	2,3
Boiling point	3005		Stable isotopes	5
Heat of vapor.	370.4		Electronegativity	1.91
Heat of fusion	17.47		First ionization	7.635
Specific heat	0.44		Electrical conduct.	...

Electron configuration

Nickel

Nickel is a white metal, with a faint tinge of yellow. It is used widely in making alloys, including copper-nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) which is used in coinage.

Nickel is used in the production of the strongly ferromagnetic alloy alnico which is used to make strong permanent magnets. Alnico alloys iron, nickel, cobalt and aluminum.

Stainless steel contains 12-18% chromium and usually about 8% nickel.

Iron objects can be plated with nickel for corrosion resistance.

The principal ores of nickel are nickelite (NiAs), millerite (NiS), and pentlandite ((Ni,Fe)S. Nickel forms a sulfide mineral with arsenic called gersdorffite. The sulfide formed with antimony is called ullmannite. Copper, cobalt and nickel join in the sulfide carrollite, Cu(Co,Ni)₂S₄. Nickel is often found in association with iron and sometimes forms the compound Ni₃Fe, called awaruite in its mineral form. Nickel-iron meteorites are fairly common.

Nickel is used in alloy with gold to make "white gold" for jewelry use.

Nickel Nuclear Data