Monel

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Monelisagroupofnickelalloys,primarilycomposedofnickel
(upto67%)andcopper,withsmallamountsofiron,manganese,
carbon,andsilicon.Strongerthanpurenickel,Monelalloysare
resistanttocorrosionbymanyagents,includingrapidlyflowing
seawater.Theycanbefabricatedreadilybyhotandcold
working,machining,andwelding.[2]
MonelwascreatedbyDavidH.Browne,chiefmetallurgistfor
InternationalNickelCo.Monelalloy400isabinaryalloyofthe
sameproportionsofnickelandcopperasisfoundnaturallyinthe
nickelorefromtheSudbury(Ontario)minesandistherefore
consideredapuritanalloy.Monelwasnamedaftercompany
presidentAmbroseMonell,andpatentedin1906.[3]OneLwas
dropped,becausefamilynameswerenotallowedastrademarks
atthattime.[1]ThenameisnowatrademarkofSpecialMetals
Corporation.
Itisaveryexpensivealloy,withcostrangingfrom5to10times
thecostofcopperandnickel,henceitsuseislimitedtothose
applicationswhereitcannotbereplacedwithcheaper
alternatives.Comparedtocarbonsteel,pipinginmonelismore
than3timesasexpensive.[4]

Contents
1 Properties
2 Uses
2.1 Aerospaceapplications
2.2 Oilproductionandrefining
2.3 Marineapplications
2.4 Musicalinstruments
2.5 DirectionalDrilling
2.6 Other
3 Alloys
3.1 Monel400
3.2 Monel401

TheArtDecogateintheentrance
halloftheGuardianBuildingismade
fromMonelmetal. [1]

3.2 Monel401
3.3 Monel404
3.4 Monel450
3.5 MonelK500
3.6 MonelR405
4 Seealso
5 References
5.1 Bibliography
6 Externallinks

Properties
Monelisasolidsolutionbinaryalloy.Asnickelandcopperaremutuallysolubleinallproportions,itis
asinglephasealloy.Comparedtosteel,Monelisverydifficulttomachineasitworkhardensvery
quickly.Itneedstobeturnedandworkedatslowspeedsandlowfeedrates.Itisresistanttocorrosion
andacids,andsomealloyscanwithstandafireinpureoxygen.Itiscommonlyusedinapplicationswith
highlycorrosiveconditions.Smalladditionsofaluminiumandtitaniumformanalloy(K500)withthe
samecorrosionresistancebutwithmuchgreaterstrengthduetogammaprimeformationonaging.
Monelistypicallymuchmoreexpensivethanstainlesssteel.
Monelalloy400hasaspecificgravityof8.80,[5]ameltingrangeof13001350C,anelectrical
conductivityofapproximately34%IACS,and(intheannealedstate)ahardnessof65RockwellB.[6]
MONELalloy400isnotableforitstoughness,whichismaintainedoveraconsiderablerangeof
temperatures.Monelalloy400hasexcellentmechanicalpropertiesatsubzerotemperatures.Strength
andhardnessincreasewithonlyslightimpairmentofductilityorimpactresistance.Thealloydoesnot
undergoaductiletobrittletransitionevenwhencooledtothetemperatureofliquidhydrogen.Thisisin
markedcontrasttomanyferrousmaterialswhicharebrittleatlowtemperaturesdespitetheirincreased
strength.

Uses
Aerospaceapplications
Inthe1960s,Monelmetalfoundbulkusesinaircraftconstruction,especiallyinmakingtheframesand
skinsofexperimentalrocketplanes,suchastheNorthAmericanX15,toresistthegreatheatgenerated
byaerodynamicfrictionduringextremelyhighspeedflight.Monelmetalretainsitsstrengthatveryhigh
temperatures,allowingittomaintainitsshapeathighatmosphericflightspeeds,atradeoffagainstthe
increasedweightofthepartsduetoMonel'shighdensity.
Monelisusedforsafetywiringintheaircraftmaintenancetoensurethatfastenerscannotcomeundone,
usuallyinhightemperatureareasstainlesswireisusedinotherareasforeconomy.

Oilproductionandrefining
MonelisusedinthesectionofAlkylationunitsindirectcontactwithconcentratedhydrofluoricacid.
Indeed,Moneloffersexceptionalresistancetohydrofluoricacidinallconcentrationsuptotheboiling
point.Itisperhapsthemostresistantofallcommonlyusedengineeringalloys.Thealloyisalsoresistant
tomanyformsofsulfuricandhydrochloricacidsunderreducingconditions.

Marineapplications
Monel'scorrosionresistancemakesitidealinapplicationssuchaspipingsystems,pumpshafts,seawater
valves,trollingwire,andstrainerbaskets.Somealloysarecompletelynonmagneticandareusedfor
anchorcableaboardminesweepers,[7]housingsformagneticfieldmeasurementequipment.In
recreationalboating,Monelwireisusedtoseizeshacklesforanchorrodes,Monelisusedforwaterand
fueltanks,andforunderwaterapplications.Itisalsousedforpropellershaftsandforkeelbolts.
However,becauseoftheproblemofelectrolyticactioninsaltwater(alsoknownasGalvaniccorrosion),
inshipbuildingmonelmustbecarefullyinsulatedfromothermetalssuchassteel.TheNewYorkTimes
ofAugust12,1915publishedanarticleabouta215footyacht,"thefirstshipthathaseverbeenbuilt
withanentirelymonelhull,"that"wenttopieces"injustsixweeksandhadtobescrapped,"onaccount
ofthedisintegrationofherbottombyelectricalaction."Theyacht'ssteelskeletondeteriorateddueto
electrolyticinteractionwiththemonel.[8]
Inseabirdresearch,andbirdbandingorringinginparticular,Monelhasbeenusedtomakebirdbandsor
ringsformanyspeciessuchasalbatrossthatliveinacorrosiveseawaterenvironment.[9]

Musicalinstruments
Monelisusedasthematerialforvalvepistonsinsomehigherqualitymusicalinstrumentssuchas
trumpets,tubasandFrenchhornrotors.RotoSoundintroducedtheuseofMonelforelectricbassstrings
in1962,andthesestringshavebeenusedbynumerousartists,includingSteveHarrisofIronMaiden,
TheWho,Sting,JohnDeacon,andJohnPaulJonesandthelateChrisSquire.Monelwasinuseinthe
early1930sbyothermusicalstringmanufacturers,suchasGibsonGuitarCorporation,whocontinueto
offerthemformandolinastheSamBushsignatureset.Also,C.F.Martin&Co.usesMonelfortheir
MartinRetroacousticguitarstrings.

DirectionalDrilling
Moneldrillcollarsareusedinsurveyingoilwells.Monelcollarsareusedindrillingdirectionalwells
whichrequirethewelltobesteered.Theirusepermitsfasterandmoreaccuratesurveys,reducehazards,
anddecreasesthecostofdrillingdirectionalorcontrolledoilwells.Thereducedcostcomesfromthe
abilityofrealtimesurveysfromaMWDtoolwhichhasmagnetometersbuiltintothem.The
magnetometersifnotsurroundedbynonmagneticmaterial(monel,inconel,CuBe,ornonmagnetic
stainless)willbeunabletoreadtheearthsmagneticfieldwithoutinterferenceandwillgiveanincorrect
reading.
Monelisveryrarelyusedinpresentdaydirectionaldrillingcollars.Theyarestillreferredtoasmonel
collarsbasedontraditionandmisinformation.Monelhasbeensubstitutedwithothernonmagnetic
stainlessmaterialsduetocost.

Other

Thegoodresistanceagainstcorrosionbyacidsandoxygen
makesmonelagoodmaterialforthechemicalindustry.Even
corrosivefluoridescanbehandledwithinmonelapparatusthis
wasdoneinanextensivewayintheenrichmentofuraniumin
theOakRidgeGaseousDiffusionPlant.Heremostofthelarger
diametertubingfortheuraniumhexafluoridewasmadefrom
monel.[10]Regulatorsforreactivecylindergaseslikehydrogen
chlorideformanotherexample,wherePTFEisnotasuitable
optionwhenhighdeliverypressuresarerequired.Thesewill
sometimesincludeaMonelmanifoldandtapspriortothe
regulatorthatallowtheregulatortobeflushedwithadry,inert
gasafterusetofurtherprotecttheequipment.

Identificationtagsmadefrommonel.

Intheearly20thcentury,whensteampowerwaswidelyused,monelwasadvertisedasbeingdesirable
foruseinsuperheatedsteamsystems.[11]Duringtheworldwars,monelwasusedforUSmilitarydog
tags.
Monelisoftenusedforkitchensinksandintheframesof
eyeglasses.Ithasalsobeenusedforfireboxstaysinfiretube
boilers.
PartsoftheClockoftheLongNow,whichisintendedtorunfor
10,000years,aremadefromMonelbecauseofthecorrosion
resistancewithouttheuseofpreciousmetals.[12]
MoneldoorknobsintheBrynAthyn
Cathedral

Monelwasusedformuchoftheexposedmetalusedinthe
interioroftheBrynAthynCathedralinPennsylvania,religious
seatoftheGeneralChurchoftheNewJerusalem.Thisincluded
largedecorativescreens,doorknobs,etc.[1]Monelalsohasbeenusedasroofingmaterialinbuildings
suchastheoriginalPennsylvaniaStationinNewYorkCity.[1]
The19911996Acura(Honda)NSXcamewithakeymadeof
Monel.[13]
OilfieldapplicationsincludeusingMonel(rarelyseedirectional
drillingabove)inbothflexandslickcollars.Instruments
(magnetometersorcompass)whichmeasuretheEarth'smagnetic
fieldtoobtainamagneticdirectionareplacedinthenon
magneticcollarwhichisolatessensorsfromthemagneticpullof
drillingtoolslocatedaboveandbelowthenonmagneticcollars.
Theyareoftenreferredtoas"monelcollars"asthatwasthefirst
materialusedtomakethecollarsandthenamestuck.

ThegreenishroofofPennsylvania
Stationwasmadefrommonel

Monelisalsousedasaprotectivebindingmaterialontheoutsideofwesternstylestirrups.
MonelisusedbyArrowFastenerCo.,Inc.forrustproofT50staples.
MonelhasalsobeenusedinKelvinatorrefrigerators.
MonelwasusedintheBabyAliceThumbGuard,a1930seraantithumbsuckingdevice.[14]

Alloys
ASTM/AISI
TradeName

Alloytype

UNS

%Cu

%Al

%Ti

%Fe

%Mn

%Si

%Ni

Monel400

B127,B164 N04400 2834

2.5max 2.0max

63min

Monel401

N04401 2834

2.5max 2.0max

63min

Monel404

N04404 2834

2.5max 2.0max

63min

MonelK500 B865

N05500 2733 2.33.15 0.350.85 2.0max 1.5max

63min

MonelR405 B164

N04405 2834

2.5max 2.0max 0.5max 63min

Monel400
Monel400showshighstrengthandexcellentcorrosionresistanceinarangeofacidicandalkaline
environmentsandespeciallysuitableforreducingconditions.Italsohasgoodductilityandthermal
conductivity.Monel400typicallyfindsapplicationin:marineengineering,chemicalandhydrocarbon
processings,heatexchangers,valvesandpumps.Itiscoveredbythefollowingstandards:BS3075,
3076NA13,DTD204BandASTMB164.[15]
LargeuseofMonel400ismadeinthealkylationunits,namelyinthereactingsectionincontactwith
concentratedhydrofluoricacid.

Monel401
Thisalloyisdesignedforuseinspecializedelectricandelectronicapplications.Alloy401isreadily
autogenouslywelded,inthethinsectionsinwhichitismostoftenused,bythegastungstenarcprocess.
Resistanceweldingisaverysatisfactorymethodforjoiningthematerial.Italsoexhibitsgoodbrazing
characteristics.Alloy401isnormallyfurnishedaswire.ItiscoveredbystandardUNSN04401.

Monel404
Thisalloyisusedprimarilyinspecializedelectricalandelectronicapplications.Thecompositionof
Monel404iscarefullyadjustedtoprovideaverylowCurietemperature,lowpermeability,andgood
brazingcharacteristics.Monel404canbeweldedusingcommonweldingtechniquesandforgedbut
cannotbehotworked.Coldworkingmaybedoneusingstandardtoolingandsoftdiematerialsforbetter
finish.ItiscoveredbystandardsUNSN04404andASTMF96.Monel404alloyisusedinthefollowing
applications:capsulesfortransistorsandceramictometalsealings.

Monel450
Thisalloyexhibitsgoodfatiguestrengthandhasrelativelyhighthermalconductivity.Itisusedfor
seawatercondensers,condenserplates,distillertubes,evaporatorandheatexchangertubes,and
saltwaterpiping.[16]

MonelK500

MonelK500combinestheexcellentcorrosionresistancecharacteristicofMonelalloy400withthe
addedadvantagesofgreaterstrengthandhardness.Theincreasedpropertiesareobtainedbyadding
aluminumandtitaniumtothenickelcopperbase,andbyheatingundercontrolledconditionssothat
submicroscopicparticlesofNi3(Ti,Al)areprecipitatedthroughoutthematrix.Thecorrosionresistance
ofMonelalloyK500issubstantiallyequivalenttothatofalloy400exceptthat,whenintheage
hardenedcondition,alloyK500hasagreatertendencytowardstresscorrosioncrackinginsome
environments.MonelalloyK500hasbeenfoundtoberesistanttoasourgasenvironment.The
combinationofverylowcorrosionratesinhighvelocityseawaterandhighstrengthmakealloyK500
particularlysuitableforshaftsofcentrifugalpumpsinmarineservice.Instagnantorslowmovingsea
water,foulingmayoccurfollowedbypitting,butthispittingslowsdownafterafairlyrapidinitial
attack.
TypicalapplicationsforalloyK500are:pumpshaftsandimpellers,doctorbladesandscrapers,oilwell
drillcollarsandinstrumentsandelectroniccomponents.[17]

MonelR405
MonelR405isthefreemachiningversionofMonel400.Itisanickelcopperalloywithacontrolled
amountofsulfuraddedtoprovidesulfideinclusionsthatactaschipbreakersduringmachining.Like
Monel400,alloyR405isresistanttoseawaterandsteamathightemperaturesaswellastosaltand
causticsolutions.MonelR405isasolidsolutionalloythatcanonlybehardenedbycoldworking.This
nickelalloyexhibitscharacteristicslikegoodcorrosionresistance,goodweldabilityandhighstrength.A
lowcorrosionrateinrapidlyflowingbrackishorseawatercombinedwithexcellentresistancetostress
corrosioncrackinginmostfreshwaterscombinedtoitsresistancetoavarietyofcorrosiveconditions
justifiesitswideuseinmarineapplicationsandothernonoxidizingchloridesolutions.Thisnickelsteel
alloyisparticularlyresistanttohydrochloricandhydrofluoricacidswhentheyaredeaerated.Aswould
beexpectedfromitshighcoppercontent,alloyR405israpidlyattackedbynitricacidandammonia
systems.
AlloyR405ischieflyusedforautomaticscrewmachinestockanditnotgenerallyrecommendedfor
otherapplications.

Seealso
Cupronickel
Hastelloy
Inconel

References
1. VonMargotGayle,DavidW.Look,JohnG.Waite(1992)."Monel".MetalsinAmerica'shistoricbuildings:
usesandpreservationtreatments.DIANEPublishing.pp.3941.ISBN9780160380730.
2. "MonelontheEncyclopediaBritannica".RetrievedAugust12,2014.
3. AmbroseMonellU.S.Patent811,239(https://www.google.com/patents/US811239)Issuedate:Jan1906
4. PipingMaterialsCostRatios(http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pipingmaterialscostratiosd_864.html)
5. PhysicalpropertiesofMonel400(http://www.specialmetals.com/documents/Monel%20alloy%20400.pdf)
6. NickelAlloy400(Monel)(http://www.makeitfrom.com/data/?material=Monel)
7. Teeple,H.O.(1953)."NickelandHighNickelAlloys".Industrial&EngineeringChemistry45(10):2215.
doi:10.1021/ie50526a033.
8. "NewYorkTimes,August12,1915:BigYachtNowJunkAfterSixWeeksUse".TheNewYorkTimes.
August12,1915.RetrievedMay13,2010.

9. Ludwig,JamesP.(1981)."BandWearandBandLossintheGreatLakesCaspianTernPopulationanda
GeneralizedModelofBandLoss".ColonialWaterbirds4:17418.doi:10.2307/1521133.JSTOR1521133.
10. Milford,Robert(1958)."EngineeringDesignofOakRidgeFluorideVolatilityPilotPlant".Industrial&
EngineeringChemistry50(2):187.doi:10.1021/ie50578a032.
11. InternationalNickelCompany,MoneladvertisementinScientificAmerican,1921
12. Beech,Martin(2007)."TheClockoftheLongNowAReflection"(PDF).TheJournaloftheRoyal
AstronomicalSocietyofCanada101(1):45.
13. http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/General/nsxkeys.htm
14. http://graphicdesign.tjslabs.com/showpicture?id=1097010675
15. "MonelK400onAzom.com".RetrievedAugust12,2014.
16. "PropertyofMonelalloys".RetrievedApril10,2015.
17. http://www.hpalloy.com/Alloys/descriptions/MONELK_500.html

Bibliography
Shoemaker,LewisE.Smith,GaylordD.(2006)."Acenturyofmonelmetal:19062006".JOM
58(9):22.doi:10.1007/s118370060077x.

Externallinks
MonelCorrosion(http://corrosiondoctors.org/Seawater/monel.htm)
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monel&oldid=691979672"
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