Preventing Plating Losses
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THE MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO NICKEL AND ITS APPLICATIONS |
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| SHANGHAI, the center of stainless architecture growth in China. |
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C. P. (PAUL) DILLON |
Nickel Magazine, July 2004 -- Releases of nickel (to air, water and landfill) is a topic worthy of the attention of any manager of a nickel plating operation. The Nickel Institute has now published practical advice in the form of some general process engineering suggestions to help prevent these losses.
U.K.-based consultant Bryan Fisher, who has 40 years of experience in the field, authored the paper "Avoid Nickel Plating Losses - Protect the Environment and Improve Profitability." The paper is Technical Series No. 10 089 in the Nickel Institute's series of papers and is available free of charge from our website.
Topics include: the nature of losses, losses in liquid form (dragout and carry over), action required to prevent losses, losses to the atmosphere (nickel salts as aerosol mist), and losses to landfill.
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Mint Masters
Very long service life, excellent recyclability, and high security against fraud have been and continue to be the main advantages of using nickel in coinage. However, allergic contact dermatitis emerged as a political issue in the European Union when nickel was included in the materials selected for use in euro coins.
The nickel industry supports the action taken by governments to reduce the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis and believes the continuing use of nickel and nickel alloys in coins is consistent with this goal.
This position was explained in detail by Dr. Ivor Kirman, president of the Nickel Institute, at the 23rd Mint Masters Conference in San Francisco, U.S.A. on March 23, 2004.
Dr. Kirman reviewed the process by which people can become sensitized to nickel (by direct and prolonged contact with the skin) and explained how subsequent exposure to nickel can elicit a response in already-sensitized individuals. The risks of elicitation created by jewelry were explained, and the EU regulations designed to reverse the trend of both sensitization and elicitation among the general population were reviewed. These regulations do not relate to euro coins, however, because coins are not intended to be in prolonged and continuous contact with the skin.
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Nickel in China
"If there are no serious setbacks with the Chinese economy or with the wider, global economy of which China is now a vital part, the pattern of nickel use in China will probably be very similar to that seen in other modern economies," says Dr. Ivor Kirman, president of the Nickel Institute.
Kirman made the comment in his paper "The Changing Pattern and Outlook for Nickel Use in China," which was presented at the China Nickel Outlook 2004 conference in Shanghai, China in May.
Total nickel use in China (primary nickel use plus nickel in scrap and imported products) tripled in the five-year period from 1997 to 2002. Total use is estimated to have increased to 290,000 tonnes in 2002 from 86,000 tonnes in 1997.
However, there is a danger that price-driven substitution could reduce the intensity of nickel use in China. If the reputation of stainless steel for quality is to be maintained, therefore, appropriate grade selection for particular applications is essential. Kirman said there are some areas in which compromises should not be allowed, such as the use of S30400 instead of S31600 in external marine environments or specifications for the thickness of chromium nickel plating.
"If substitutes are seen as lower-quality, lower-performance products, then the substitution will probably be reversed quickly," Kirman said.
Read the entire presentation: Click Here
A tribute to Paul Dillon (1921-2004)
It is with regret that we announce the passing of C.P. (Paul) Dillon on April 7, 2004. Paul was highly respected in the corrosion community and was a valued consultant to the Nickel Institute since its inception.
We remember Paul for his generosity of spirit and willingness to share technical knowledge and experience with others. He had strong opinions and held them with great conviction but was always ready to listen to those of his peers.
The Nickel Development Institute (NiDI) was formed in 1985, and we were fortunate to have Paul come on board right away as a consultant. He participated as a lecturer in NiDI's Materials Engineering Workshops, which were held in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., until 1995, when poor health prevented him from travelling.
Paul continued providing Nickel Institute technical service to enquirers to his last days. The Nickel Institute's high reputation for providing accurate and useful technical information is in large part due to Paul's knowledge and abilities.
Paul was the author of many books and technical articles published by NACE, MTI and NiDI. He was made an MTI Fellow in 2001 in recognition of his critical involvement in the formation of that organization. He was also a NACE Fellow, a certified NACE Corrosion Specialist, and taught the NACE Basic Corrosion Course for many years.
Paul's knowledge of chemistry, as well as corrosion, combined with his 34 years of service in materials engineering at Union Carbide, gave him some unique insights into how materials perform in a corrosive environment. He will be greatly missed in the corrosion community.
@nickelinstitute.org
LATEST NEWS: Vist the online news pages of the Nickel Institute for the latest speeches and presentations by Nickel Institute managers and consultants.
www.nickelinstitute.org/index.cfm/ci_id/12.htm
EUROPEAN NICKEL RISK ASSESSMENT: Follow the regulatory process that will change how nickel compounds are classified in the European Union.
http://www.nickelforum-eura.org/
THE SCIENCE OF NICKEL: Understand the science upon which regulations related to nickel are established.
http://www.nipera.org/
PHOTOS: Tim Pelling/Nickel Institute, NACE International
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