Metals are often subjected to harsh conditions that cause them to heat up. Furnaces, combustion engines, jet engines and ignition nozzles all produce temperatures that can melt metal. When selecting a metal for a specific application, it is important to consider the maximum temperature that it will be exposed to. This is because other types of failure may occur long before the melting point of a particular metal is reached.
The melting temperature of nickel is 1455 degrees Celsius. A number of nickel alloys are used in industry, including 36 and 42 alloys. Both of these alloys have very low thermal expansion and thermal conductivity rates, which makes them ideal for applications requiring high precision and accuracy such as watch springs. Monel is another nickel alloy that has a lower melting temperature of 1350 degrees Celsius and is used as an alternative to iron or steel when corrosive resistance is needed.
Alloys contain more than one element, so their melting points are a range that is dependent on the alloy composition. In addition, the melting temperature of a metal is not constant, it can change with a rise or fall in pressure.
The method of melting nickel described in my patent dispenses with the use of crucibles and produces practically pure fluid nickel economically and more quickly than heretofore. It also enables the production, by the employment of large quantities of air under great pressure, of a much higher degree of heat to be applied to the nickel in order to bring it up to its melting point.