RANEY NICKEL

Nickel aluminides, Ni3Al, NiAl: The intermetallic phase Ni3Al is the well known Y phase which is as coherent fcc precipitate responsible for the good creep properties of nickel base superalloys. Ni3Al and NiAl were also considered for high temperature structural applications mainly in the 1990-ies. Powder metallurgical as well as melt metallurgical production were pursued. High production cost, lacking low temperature ductility and lacking microstructural stability were responsible that there was never a real break-through of these materials for structural applications.

Aluminum-nickel alloy can be used:

• For the reduction of nitriles, nitro compounds and oximes to primary amines.
• For the conversion of carbonyl compounds to hydrocarbons.
• As a reducing agent to convert Ar-X derivatives to Ar-H compounds.
• For the synthesis of Raney nickel catalyst to be used as an alkylating agent.
• To synthesize non-pyrophoric Ni catalyst by alkali leaching.
• For the synthesis of alloyed skeletal Ni catalysts.