What Does
Cupronickel Mean?
Cupronickel is a generic name that refers to copper-nickel alloys. They are composed of copper as a base metal and nickel as a secondary component with a lesser concentration. These alloys are corrosion resistant with a concentration split of about 90/10 Cu-Ni or 70/30 Cu-Ni.
Corrosionpedia Explains Cupronickel
Cupronickel is among the corrosion-resistant copper alloys, which are generally resistant to moisture, acid attack, alkali attack and salt solutions. Unlike several alloys, they are also resistant to gaseous attack gases such as oxygen, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide.
Copper and nickel form a continuous series of solid solutions, therefore a heterogeneous structure can occur in these alloys. Alloys containing 10% and 30% nickel have extremely good corrosion resistance, as seen in empirical examinations of its behavior in hot seawater at high flow rates.
Cupronickel reduces the risk of stress corrosion cracking and pitting corrosion. The resistance of these alloys allows for the formation of a stable protective coating on a substrate metal's surface.