Spherical Nickel Powder

Overview

Spherical nickel powder is a specialty metal powder used in various applications that require high purity, uniform particle size distribution, and good flowability. Some key details:

• Composition: 99%+ pure nickel
• Particle shape: Highly spherical
• Typical size range: 1-45 microns
• Common applications: MLCCs, conductive pastes, welding, 3D printing
• Key properties: Purity, sphericity, low internal porosity, smooth surface, controlled microstructure

Types of Spherical Nickel Powder

Spherical nickel powder is available in different purity grades, particle sizes, size distributions, and microstructures.

Type	Description
Pure Nickel	99%+ nickel content, low impurities like Fe, C, O, N
Alloyed Nickel	Small additions of Cu, Co, etc. to modify properties
Ultrafine	Sub-micron particles <1 micron diameter
Nanosized	Particles under 100 nm diameter
Monodisperse	Very narrow particle size distribution
Bimodal distribution	Mix of coarse and fine particles

The high purity and sphericity allows spherical nickel powder to meet exacting application needs for performance and processability.

Composition and Properties

Spherical nickel metal powder has the following typical composition and properties:

Parameter	Typical Values
Nickel (Ni) content	99%+
Oxygen (O)	<300 ppm
Carbon (C)	<100 ppm
Iron (Fe)	<10 ppm
Sulfur (S)	<10 ppm
Particle shape	Highly spherical
Apparent density	2.5-3.5 g/cc
Tap density	3.5-4.5 g/cc
Specific surface area	0.05-0.5 m2/g
Crystallite size	50-500 nm
Flow rate	25-35 s/50g
Compressibility	20-30%

The high purity, sphericity, smooth surface, and controlled microstructure provide consistency in performance.

Applications of Spherical Nickel Powder

Some major applications of spherical nickel powder include:

Application	Description
MLCCs	Inner electrodes in ceramic capacitors
Conductive pastes	Silver-based pastes for electronics
Welding	Metal inert gas and laser welding
3D Printing	Binder jetting and selective laser sintering
Brazing alloys	High temperature braze fillers
Nickel plating	Electroless nickel coatings

The uniform particle size, low internal porosity, good flow and high purity make spherical nickel advantageous for these applications over irregular nickel powder.

Specifications and Grades

Spherical nickel powder is available in a variety of particle size distributions categorized into different grades:

Grade	Particle Size (microns)
Microfine	1-5
Fine	3-10
Medium	5-15
Coarse	10-45
Bimodal	Mix of sizes

Standards organizations have specifications for spherical nickel powder:

• ASTM B800 – Standard for Spherical Powder
• ISO 4499 – Metal powders for additive manufacturing
• Customer-specific quality requirements

Size Distribution

The particle size distribution is an important parameter that influences packing density, flowability, and performance. Tighter size distributions have more consistent properties.

Global Suppliers and Pricing

Some leading global suppliers of spherical nickel powder include:

Supplier	Location
Vale	Brazil
Jinchuan	China
Jilin Jien	China
Sandvik	Sweden
BASF	Germany

Pricing depends on factors like:

• Purity grade
• Particle size distribution
• Purchase quantity
• Production method (gas/water atomization, electrolytic)

Grade	Indicative Pricing
99% pure	$25-40 per kg
99.9% pure	$45-70 per kg
Ultrafine	$80-150 per kg

Comparison Between Nickel Powder Types

Parameter	Spherical Nickel	Irregular Nickel
Particle shape	Highly spherical	Jagged, irregular
Flowability	Excellent	Poor
Apparent density	Higher	Lower
Surface smoothness	Very smooth	Rough
Purity	99%+ achievable	typically 96-98%
Cost	Higher	Lower

Advantages of spherical nickel powder:

• Smooth surface gives better interface bonding
• Higher packing density means higher performance
• Consistent microstructure aids performance reproducibility
• Good flow allows high-speed production processes
• Achievable purity expands application range

Disadvantages:

• Higher cost than irregular nickel powder
• Controlled production is more complex
• Limited ultrafine size availability

So the spherical shape and tuned properties provide benefits offsetting the higher price in critical applications.

FAQs

What is spherical nickel powder used for?

Spherical nickel powder is used where consistent particle size, high purity, good flow and smooth interface is needed – MLCC electrodes, conductive adhesives, welding, brazing, 3D printing.

How is spherical nickel powder made?

It is produced via gas or water atomization where molten nickel is broken into droplets which solidify into highly spherical particles. The process is precisely controlled to achieve the desired powder characteristics.

Is spherical nickel powder expensive?

Yes, spherical nickel powder is approximately 1.5 – 2 times more expensive than irregular powder due to the controlled production process and stringent quality requirements it must meet. However for critical applications, the enhanced properties are worth the price premium.

Does shape affect nickel powder properties?

Yes, spherical powder has higher apparent density, better flowability, higher compressibility, lower internal porosity, and smoother surface compared to irregular powder. This significantly improves performance in applications.

What is the purity level of spherical nickel powder?

Spherical nickel powder can achieve 99%+ purity, much higher than the typical 96-98% range for irregular nickel. Ultra-high purity grades up to 99.98% nickel content are also produced for specialty applications requiring it.

What are the particle sizes available?

Spherical nickel is available from 1 micron to 45 micron diameter. Finer grades down to nanoscale are also produced. The powder can be classified into different size distributions or supplied with bimodal mixes of particle sizes.

What is the best size range for MLCC electrodes?

For multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC), fine and ultrafine nickel powder with D50 of 2-5 microns produces the best performance as smaller particles pack tightly and deliver more capacitance.

Is flowability an important characteristic?

Yes, excellent flowability allows smooth feeding during high-speed deposition processes likes screen printing. It also leads to uniform packing density, so flow is a key property in most spherical nickel applications.

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