Nickel silver, or german silver is a copper alloy with nickel and often Zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. However the composition varies as per consumer needs. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver unless plated.
Higher amounts of copper make the nickel silver metal more ductile and more resistant to corrosion. Nickel makes the metal look more silverish and higher amounts of zinc improves corrosion resistance, lowers the melting point and raises its strength and hardness. It has many characteristics of brass and bronze, differing only in color.
Nickel silver can take a high polish and hence is quite popular in jewelry making. Since the metal is hard and abrasion-resistant, it has found usage in ball pen tips. It is highly malleable, ductile and Nonmagnetic. This makes the metal useful in manufacturing springs, optical frames and parts. It is highly resistant to environmental corrosion and hence is suitable for soldering and welding.
Applications:
- ball pen tips
- optical frames and parts
- springs
- surgical instruments
- jewelry
- resistors and contacts
- musical instruments
Super Metal Industries manufacture german silver wires of various sizes, making it suitable for various applications as per customer requirements. Our nickel silver wires are widely used in the manufacture of springs, zippers for garment and textile industry, thin wires for jewelry industry, electrical industry and artifacts for interior designing.
Some of the popular compositions we manufacture include:
CuNi10Zn27, CuNi12Zn24 and CuNi18Zn20
