What Is Nickel Powder Used For

Based on its excellent corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and high-temperature strength, nickel powder is mainly used in the manufacture of high-strength alloys, protective coatings (such as thermal spraying), electronic components (batteries, capacitors), catalysts, and in aerospace, automotive, and medical fields. It plays a key role in 3D printing.

Below, I will combine practical application experience, one by one dismantling nickel powder in the end is used in what place.

Aerospace And Automotive Industry

Here, the most important use of nickel powder is the manufacture of nickel-based superalloys.

• Jet engines and combustion systems: Engineers use nickel powder to make key components such as turbine blades, turbine disks, and combustion chambers. In practice, these components must withstand extreme temperatures and pressures. If the material selection is slightly deviated, high-temperature creep can lead to catastrophic consequences. Nickel powder gives the alloy the ability to “die” without deformation at high temperatures.
• Corrosion resistance: In the automotive sector, the situation is slightly different but equally severe. Not only high temperatures, automotive components (especially the exhaust system) also face corrosive exhaust gases and variable weather erosion. The addition of nickel powder significantly improves the service life and safety of parts.

Electronic And Conductive Applications

In the electronics industry, nickel powder is absolutely “just needed”. Although silver and gold have better conductivity, nickel powder cannot be replaced due to cost-effectiveness.

• Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC): This is a huge market. We typically formulate nickel powder into a conductive paste that is used to form the inner electrodes of the MLCC. The smartphone and notebook computer in your hand are all these little things when you take them apart.
• Battery technology: Whether it is a traditional nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) or nickel-hydrogen (Ni-MH) battery, nickel powder is the core material, which directly determines the energy density and charge-discharge performance of the battery.
• Electromagnetic shielding: Conductive paints and gaskets containing nickel powder are widely used to shield electromagnetic interference (EMI) and protect sensitive electronic equipment from “mess”.

Powder Metallurgy (PM)

Powder metallurgy relies heavily on nickel powder to make high-precision metal parts by sintering (heating but not melting) rather than traditional casting.

• Sintered parts: This process allows us to produce gears, bearings, and structural parts with complex structures. Its advantages are high dimensional accuracy and very low material waste—which is critical for cost control.
• Filters: We often use powder metallurgy processes to manufacture porous nickel structures. In chemical processing, this kind of filter can resist high temperature and corrosive fluid, which is difficult for other materials.

Protective Coating And Brazing

Thermal spraying: The principle is very simple, the powder is melted and sprayed to the surface to form a hard protective layer. This is very effective in repairing worn parts or protecting new parts from corrosion, oxidation, and abrasive wear. I have seen many industrial shafts that were originally to be scrapped and used for several years after being sprayed with a nickel-based coating.
Brazing paste: In high-temperature brazing, nickel powder paste is used to permanently join metal parts. This joint is extremely strong and heat-resistant, which is very suitable for heat exchangers and turbines, which require extremely high connection strength.

Catalysis In Chemical Production

Because of its high specific surface area and special chemical properties, nickel powder is a powerful catalyst.

• Hydrogenation: It is widely used to promote hydrogenation reactions, such as the conversion of vegetable oils into solid fats, or in pharmaceutical and petrochemical production. Its existence can accelerate the chemical process and increase the yield, which is directly related to the efficiency of the chemical plant.

Additive Manufacturing

With the evolution of manufacturing technology, nickel powder has become one of the cornerstone materials for metal 3D printing.

• Complex Geometry: Technologies like Selective Laser Melting (SLM) use fine nickel powder to build parts layer by layer. This allows us to create complex internal structures that are simply not possible with traditional machining—such as the cooling channels that go around in aerospace parts.
• High-performance components: The printed 3D components retain the high strength and heat resistance of the bulk nickel alloy, and are fully capable of meeting the needs of demanding applications.

Medical Applications

In the medical field, the alloying ability of nickel powder is not only used to make tools, but also to save lives.

Shape Memory Alloy: Nickel-titanium alloy produced by the combination of nickel and titanium is so amazing that it can “remember” its own shape. This property is used in the manufacture of vascular stents (which expand in the body to open arteries), orthodontic wires, and surgical instruments that need to be flexibly shuttled through his body.

Diamond Tools

In the construction and mining industries, nickel powder plays the role of a “hero behind the scenes”—structural support.

Carcass material: We mix nickel powder with industrial diamond particles to form a carcass for cutting and grinding tools. Simply put, nickel must firmly “grasp” the diamond. If the carcass is not tough enough, the diamond will fall off before it is finished, and the tools will be wasted. Nickel powder provides the toughness needed to cut concrete, stone, and asphalt.

Why Industry Choices Nickel Powder

To sum up, all of the above applications are valid because nickel powder has the following core properties:

• Thermal stability: It retains strength at temperatures when other metals begin to soften or melt.
• Corrosion and oxidation resistance: It can form a protective oxide layer to resist rust and chemical attack.
• Electrical Conductivity: Excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, making it key for energy and electronics applications.
• Alloying ability: It is like a “good-tempered” partner, can be easily mixed with iron, chromium, cobalt, and other metals, thereby enhancing their performance.

Author：David Ross

With over 17 years of experience in powder metallurgy and material science, I specialize in high-performance metal applications. My passion lies in exploring how materials like nickel powder drive innovation in aerospace, electronics, and additive manufacturing.