NiFe
Encyclopedia
NiFe or Nife is a general shorthand expression for a mixture of nickel
(Ni) and iron
(Fe). NiFe is used to describe nickel-iron batteries
, various chemical reactions that involve a nickel-iron catalyst or component, and in geology to describe the general composition of the Earth's core.
The affinity of nickel (atomic number 28) and iron (atomic number 26) for one another produce natural occurring alloy
s, a large number of commercial alloys, and provide a complex electron environment for catalyzing chemical reactions.
Iron
and nickel
are notable for being the final elements produced by stellar nucleosynthesis
, and thus the heaviest elements which do not require a supernova
or similarly cataclysmic event for formation. Iron and nickel are therefore the most abundant metals in metallic meteorites and in the dense-metal cores of planets such as Earth.
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
(Ni) and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
(Fe). NiFe is used to describe nickel-iron batteries
Nickel-iron battery
The nickel–iron battery is a storage battery having a nickel oxide-hydroxide cathode and an iron anode, with an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide. The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets...
, various chemical reactions that involve a nickel-iron catalyst or component, and in geology to describe the general composition of the Earth's core.
The affinity of nickel (atomic number 28) and iron (atomic number 26) for one another produce natural occurring alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
s, a large number of commercial alloys, and provide a complex electron environment for catalyzing chemical reactions.
Iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
are notable for being the final elements produced by stellar nucleosynthesis
Stellar nucleosynthesis
Stellar nucleosynthesis is the collective term for the nuclear reactions taking place in stars to build the nuclei of the elements heavier than hydrogen. Some small quantity of these reactions also occur on the stellar surface under various circumstances...
, and thus the heaviest elements which do not require a supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
or similarly cataclysmic event for formation. Iron and nickel are therefore the most abundant metals in metallic meteorites and in the dense-metal cores of planets such as Earth.
See also
- InvarInvarInvar, also known generically as FeNi36 , is a nickel steel alloy notable for its uniquely low coefficient of thermal expansion . The name, Invar, comes from the word invariable, referring to its lack of expansion or contraction with temperature changes.It was invented in 1896 by Swiss scientist...
, nickel-iron alloy - Mu-metalMu-metalMu-metal is a nickel-iron alloy that is notable for its high magnetic permeability. The high permeability makes mu-metal very effective at screening static or low-frequency magnetic fields, which cannot be attenuated by other methods. The name came from the Greek letter mu which represents...
, nickel-iron alloy - KREEPKREEPKREEP, an acronym built from the letters K , REE and P , is a geochemical component of some lunar impact melt breccia and basalt rocks...
, geochemical term for lunar impact melt breccias and basalts - SialSialIn geology, the sial is the upper layer of the Earth's crust made of rocks rich in silicates and aluminium minerals. It is sometimes equated with the continental crust because it is absent in the wide oceanic basins, but "sial" is a geochemical term rather than a plate tectonic term.Geologists...
, geochemical term for outer planetary crustal layer - Sima (geology)Sima (geology)Sima is the name for the lower layer of the Earth's crust. This layer is made of rocks rich in magnesium silicate minerals. Typically when the sima comes to the surface it is basalt, so sometimes this layer is called the 'basalt layer' of the crust. The sima layer is also called the 'basal crust'...
, geochemical term for inner planetary crustal layer - Structure of the Earth's Core, NiFe as primary constituent