Nickel Heat Conductivity: Values, Comparisons & Key Factors

Okay, let’s discuss nickel thermal conductivity. You are likely struggling with questions regarding things like, “How effectively does this metal actually transport heat?” Or perhaps, “Is nickel even the right play for my project or should I go with copper or something else?” And sure, “What even is thermal conductivity, anyway?” It is not rocket science, but you can blow it and it can be very expensive, time-consuming problem down the road. Let’s dispense with the noise and go right to what the sources have to say.

Nickel Heat Conductivity: What Does It Mean?

So, in absolute terms: Nickel has a thermal conductivity of about 90 W/m·K, and if you’re up against things like silver or copper, it ain’t so fast, and these happen to be the materials of choice in the game of moving heat around. But wait, there’s more: It is still a decent conductor. Think of it sort of like being a good solid character on the team — maybe not the star, but someone who is integral to getting the job done, especially when the weather gets rough.

Thermal conductivity (that’s k to you symbol aficionados) is essentially a measure of a material’s ability to conduct the energy from higher heat areas to cold regions. The higher the number, the faster heat whips through it. The conventional unit for this is Watts per metre-kelvin (W·m−1·K−1). Older units you might encounter include BTU h−1 ft−1 F−1, which is approximately 1.728 W·m−1·K−1.

Heat exchange is a non-linear function of temperature for nearly all materials. It’s not a straight line. The sources also discuss measurement techniques, such as laser flash analysis or those based on longitudinal or radial heat flow, and even transient techniques. Some smart people, including G. K. White, M. J. Laubits and D. R. Flynn, have investigated the hell out of this stuff.

Some of the Details on Pure Nickel’s Thermal Conductivity

Now, let’s take an even closer look at commercially pure nickel. The sources give us a range. At or near room temperature (close to 293 K, or 20°C, to about 298 K, or 25°C), pure nickel typically clocks in with a thermal conductivity that ranges from 67 to 91 W/m·K.

But here’s where it gets interesting: temperature plays serious mind games with nickel’s ability to conduct electricity. A wide range of values for pure nickel over a large temperature range:

• At cryogenic temperatures, such as at 1 K, the conductance can even be high and achieve figures of 110 W/m·K.
• When you heat it up, conductivity typically goes down. For example, at temperature of 100 K, around 164 W/m·K At temperature of 200 K, about 107 W/m·K
• You get around room temperature (293-300 K, or 20-27 °C), say, 90.7 W/m·K, 91 W/m·K, 94 W/m·K, or about 90 W/m·K – reads: “67 to 91 W/m·K” for commercially pure nickel.
• Move to even higher temperatures, however, and the trend takes a brief dive downward. At 400 K (127 degrees Celsius), it’s roughly 80.2 W/m·K, or 80.1 W/m·K; and at 600 K (327 degrees Celsius), it goes down to about 65.6 W/m·K or 65.5 W/m·K.

Then, something wild happens. Nickel is ferromagnetic, just like iron and cobalt. It has a magnetic phase. In this stage, its heat conductance has negative temperature dependence. This means, as you warm it, the conductivity actually decreases.

But the reach that minimum value of thermal conductivity, it has to reach what is known as the Curie temperature, which is the temperature that it loses ferromagnetism. Beyond that point in time, in the non-magnetic phase, it acquires a positive temperature coefficient. So as you continue to heat it past the Curie point, its conductivity begins to go up again.

Check out the high-temp data points:

• 800 K (~ 527 °C): 67.6 W/m·K, 67.4 W/m·K.
• 1000 K (~727 °c): 71.8 w/m•k, 71.8 w/m•k.
• 1200 K (~927 °C): 76.2 W/m·K, 76.1 W/m·K[1].
• 1400 K (~1127 °C): 80.4 W/m·K.

See that curve? Down again, hits bottom, then up again. That minimum is connected to the Curie temperature.

What Else Alters the Game for Nickel Conductivity?

When it comes to number nudging, a few other things can sway the numbers:

• Impurities: Anything else in there could disrupt how freely heat can flow.
• Alloying Elements: When you alloy nickel with other substances to make alloys, the conductivity changes big time. We’ll hit this in a second.
• Lattice part: Even the crystal structure (so called “lattice”) itself is crucial for heat conduction (in the non-magnetic phase). This part, the sources say, is significant and doesn’t change as much over temperature, but it can vary from one nickel sample to another. That is to say, knowing only the electrical resistivity isn’t enough to predict the thermal conductivity perfectly for all samples of nickel.
• Processing: Even the way the nickel is laid down counts. Electroless nickel (often containing phosphorus in it) have way lower thermal conductivity than electrodeposited nickel. We’re maybe in the range of 0.0105 to 0.0135 cal/cm/sec/°C for electroless and 0.19 to 0.26 cal/cm/sec/°C for electrodeposited. That’s a huge difference! (Note: 1 cals/cm/sec/°C is approx 418.4 W/m·K).

Nickel Alloys: Meanwhile, Back to the Future (and How to Do Useful Things with Metal)

A lot of these guys mix literally nickel with other elements not for fun, but because it’s the way you get materials with target properties. And yeah, this totally alters thermal conductivity.

The sources report data for several nickel-containing alloys, frequently in the presence of nickel itself for comparison. Here are some examples from the lists:

• Stainless Steel: This group is mainly iron, but nickel is an important player in many forms. Most heat conductance far too, even 14.4 W/m·K for kind 304, 14.3 W/m·K for form 347, 16.3 or 16.7 W/m·K, and even about 24 W/m·K (at roughly exactly the same temperatures, 296 K or 23°C). Note that it is far lower than pure nickel.
• Brass (Copper-Zinc): Some brasses can contain nickel. Common brass is ~109-121 W/m·K (Cu70%, Zn30% or Cu68%, Zn32%) at 293-296 K.[1] “German Silver” (Cu62%, Ni15%, Zn22%) is somewhat less conductive, at 24.9 W/m·K.
• Bronze (Copper-Tin): Bronzes such as a 25% tin bronze have rating of 26 W/m·K and Cu89% Sn11% bronze is rated from 42–50 W/m·K There is also a wide range of possible thermal conductivities between the bronze based alloys, again frequently lower than pure nickel.
• Cupronickel (Copper Nickel): These are exactly what the name suggests: nickel-copper alloys. Cupronickel (probably Constantan): 20 W/(m K) A 50-45 cupronickel (probably Constantan, 60 Cu, 40 Ni) is listed at 20 W/m·K Another cupronickel is listed at 29 W/m·K These are much worse conductors than pure nickel.
• Monel: It is actually a nickel-copper compound. Listed around 26 W/m·K.
• Inconel: A kind of nickel-chromium alloy. Listed around 15 W/m·K.
• Incoloy: a trade mark consisting of nickel-iron-chromium alloys. Listed around 12 W/m·K.
• Hastelloy: These are nickel alloys that also contain other elements, such as chromium and molybdenum. Hastelloy C is as low as 8.7 W/m·K, and Hastelloy B with 10 W/m·K.
• Nickel Steels: Alloys of iron with nickel. Conductivity decreases with increasing nickel content: 10% Ni Steel 26 W/mK, 20% Ni Steel 19 W/mK, 40% Ni Steel 10 W/mK, 60% Ni Steel 19 W/mK.
• Nickel Chrome Steels: Alloys such as steel 80% Ni, 15% Cr it is 17 W/m·K, and steel 40% Ni, 15% Cr is 11.6 W/m·K.

Bottom­line: Nickel­alloys will have in almost all cases lower thermal conductiv­ity than pure nickel. But this isn’t a bad thing. You are sacrificing some conductivity for some other killer properties.

Nickel vs. The Competition : How does it Compare?

So, nickel isn’t copper (401 W/m·K) or the silver medalist (429 W/m·K) of heat-transfer ability among pure metals. Also values of Aluminium (237 W/m·K) are much higher. But how does it stack up?

• Iron: Pure wrought iron (not pure iron) is of the order of 80 W/m·K).So if we say say pure nickel (~90-91 W/m·K) is a bit better than pure iron. Cast iron is lower, averaging between 55 W/m·K.
• Cobalt: like nickel one of the other ferromagnetic metals – has an absolute thermal conductivity of 104 W/m·K around 0 °C, which is only slightly higher than that of pure nickel.
• Manganese: This is a good one. Manganese has the lowest thermal conductivity of any of the pure metals in my sources at 7.81 W/m·K. Nickel goes thereabouts.
• Other Metals: Comparing nickel (approximately 90 W/m·K) to lead (approximately 35 W/m·K), zinc (approximately 116 W/m·K), or titanium (approximately 21.9 W/m·K), nickel is relatively somewhere between in the medium to high end of popular engineering metals.
• Non-metals: As a group, metals are very good conductors. Things like ceramics (Alumina is 30-40 W/m·K, Silicon nitride is 90-177 W/m·K), glass (0.8-1.4 W/m·K), plastics (0.1-0.5 W/m·K range of numbers for various kinds), gases (Air is 0.026 W/m·K), and liquids (Water is 0.6 W/m·K) are on a whole, whole other level of thermal insulating than metals and especially good conducting metals like copper and aluminium.

Here’s a quick comparison table from the sources at roughly room temp:

So, nickel isn’t the absolute best at moving heat, but it’s a solid performer compared to many other metals and definitely outperforms non-metals.

Thermal Conductivity Alone Just Isn’t Enough

Okay, you’ve got the numbers. Nickel conducts heat relatively well. But to be honest, in most use cases that’s just part of the story. Other properties of nickel are more important.

Think about it. If all you wanted was to move heat quickly as fast as possible under ideal, non-reactive conditions, you might use copper or silver. But that’s not the real world. This is where nickel, in particular nickel alloys, come into their own.

What other superpowers does nickel have going for it, the sources say?

• Resistance to corrosion: This is HUGE. Nickel alloys are already champions against rust (oxidation), gnarly acids and alkalis, and even tricky pitting and crevice corrosion. They can withstand nasty stuff like seawater and chlorides. This makes them tough in settings where other metals would simply disintegrate. And being corrosion-resistant also means less junk can build up on it (fouling and scaling), which keeps the heat transfer efficient and maintenance lower. That’s a serious win.
• Resistance to high temperatures: Nickle alloys can stand up to some serious heat, including sudden, sharp temperature increases and rapid fluctuations, without breaking a sweat (or more accurately, a structure). This is crucial in environments with extreme temperatures like power plants.
• Strength: These are some strong materials. And they stand up to the twisting and punishing punishment of a strained design. This is important in high pressure systems such as for example the chemical industry. Nickel alloy parts are capable of withstanding the squeeze without warping.
• Durability and Longevity: Put all that together, and you get materials that hold up. They can stand up to hardy environments for years. Fewer replacements mean less downtime and lower expenses across time. It’s the long game advantage.

So, while the thermal conductivity is fine, it’s all those things working together — pretty good heat transfer with fantastic toughness, heat resistance, and resistance to corrosion — that make nickel especially good for specific things.

Applications: In the Realm Where Nickel (and Pals) Rule Heat Conductivity

With that killer combo of qualities, where do you think nickel earns its money? The sources will namely refer to:

• Heat Exchangers and Condensers: This is the classic exemple. These are systems in which heat exchange is carried out between two fluids or between a fluid and a wall. In industries as diverse as power generation, chemical processing, and oil and gas, these units endure punishing conditions — high temperatures, corrosive fluids (like acids or seawater), and high pressures. Nickel alloys are great here because they can pass the heat on (due to their thermal conductivity) while laughing off the corrosion, taking the heat and not crumbling under the pressure. They transfer heat effectively because they are conductive, wasting as little energy as possible and translating to less cost for the consumer. It also helps prevent temperatures from fluctuating, reducing any hot spots.
• Alloys: Nickel serves as a base for numerous alloys used where high performance is required. We had stuff like stainless steel, Monel, Inconel, Hastelloy, and so on.
• Battery Materials: Nickel is also present in batteries. The sources don’t deep dive into why from a thermal standpoint here, but list it as a key application. (Note: This point is a bit simplistic, nickel as a constituent material of batteries has a more complicated story when electrochemical and thermal management considerations are factored in, but the source only talks about it in terms of application of its properties).
• SOFC anodes: One list includes “Ni/8YSZ cermet anodes” for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). It discusses modeling for electrical conductivity and the effect of microstructure on anode behavior but does not explicitly say thermal conductivity is the major reason for nickel’s presence here, although transfer of heat is important to SOFCs.

The sources on applications, and especially heat exchangers, stress the practicality nature of properties compatibility. It’s not only its thermal conductivity; it’s having good enough thermal conductivity paired with also being incredibly resistant to harsh conditions that makes it indispensable.”

Wrapping It Up

So what’s the bottom line for nickel heat conductivity? It’s a solid performer, not the best of all metals, but not the least, either. Owing to its magnetism, its conductivity varies with temperature in a characteristic manner, decreasing until the Curie point and then increasing. But nickel does its best work when it teams up with other elements in alloys. Where alloying usually reduces those conductivity figures, it also opens a Pandora’s box of properties — amazing resistance to corrosion, high temp strength, mechanical toughness and, straight-up durability — that make nickel and its alloys the plain best choice for tough, hard-use jobs like heat exchangers in corrosive environments. And it’s not necessarily any one feature, it’s a combination of the lot that make it a winner. Blaming the heat on nickel conductivity.

FAQ: Quick Hits on Nickel Heat Conductivity.

Got more questions buzzing? Let’s put hit a few of the tried and trues ones based on what I’ve been seeing in the sources.

Q: Does nickel conduct heat well? A: Yes, it’s a reasonably good heat conductor. It is not as conductive as copper or silver, but its conductivity of approximately 90W/m·K is sufficient for many types of heat transfer applications.

Q: How does the nickel’s thermal conductivity varies with temperature? A: It’s a bit complicated. The thermal conductivity of pure nickel typically decreases with an increasing temperature while the pure nickel is maintained in its magnetic phase. It passes through a minimum point at the Curie temperature and goes up at higher temperature above the Curie temperature in the nonmagnetic phase.

Q: How does nickel stack up to copper in terms of heat conductivity? A: Copper (about 401 W/m·K) is much better conductive material of heat than pure nickel (about 90 W/m·K). If all you are looking for is pure heat transfer, in a benign environment, copper wins on conductivity issues alone.

Q: Are nickel and nickel alloys the same conductivity? A: No, At the time of mixing nickle with different elements will reduce the thermal conductivity whenever, compared to the pure nickle. However, these alloys have other advantageous properties such as improved corrosion resistance and strength.

Q: Why are heat exchangers made of nickel instead of a more conductive metal? A: Although metals, such as copper, are better conductors, nickel alloys are frequently employed because they provide the critical balance of good thermal conductivity, superior corrosion resistance, ability to operate at elevated temperatures, strength, longevity and service life, which are essential in severe industrial environments, such as chemicals or power generation.

Q: Are there separate kinds of nickel deposits with varying thermal conductivity? A: Yes. Electroless nickel deposits with phosphorus have much lower thermal conductivity as compared to electrodeposited nickel deposits.

Q: What are the units of thermal conductivity? A: The SI (International System of Standards) unit is watts per meter-kelvin (W·m−1·K−1). You might also find British Thermal Units per hour per foot per degree Fahrenheit (BTU h−1 ft−1 F−1) or calories per centimeter per second per degree Celsius (cal/cm/sec/°C).

That’s the breakdown. So there you have it, an idea of nickel’s thermal properties and why it’s so influential in materials.