Hastelloy vs Monel

Hastelloy vs Monel: Understanding Nickel Alloys

Hastelloy vs Monel: Understanding Nickel Alloys

Choosing the right material for the project can feel like navigating a battlefield, especially when dealing with aggressive environments. Two seemingly similar alloys rise to the challenge: Hastelloy and Monel. Both boast impressive resumes, wielding shields of resistance to corrosion and swords of high strength. But which reigns supreme? The two most common nickel alloys are Hastelloy and Monel. In this blog, we’ll have a brief look at the qualities of Hastelloy vs Monel that make each alloy popular for various applications and discuss the pros and cons of each. 

What is Hastelloy?

The name “Hastelloy” refers to alloyed nickel metal strengthened against corrosion. Adding molybdenum and chromium is the main method used to accomplish this. Hastelloy is available in several grades, each tailored for a particular set of qualities through a distinct chemical composition.

Due to its high molybdenum and chromium content, Hastelloy outperforms other specialty metal products like Incoloy in extremely corrosive situations. Furthermore improving overall workability is the molybdenum addition. In addition to being ductile, Hastelloy alloys are simple to shape and assemble.

The following qualities are typically present in Hastelloy grades:

  • Exceptional resistance to corrosion
  • Strong weldability
  • Sturdy against acids and oxidizing chemicals

Properties of Hastelloy

Hastelloy exists a nickel-molybdenum alloy conceived to withstand high temperatures and reduce acid concentrations. It is not damaged by grain-boundary carbide precipitation after welding since it is not affected by it. It is still functional even after it has been welded.

Advantages of Hastelloy

 Basic Hastelloy’s advantages are:

  1. The alloy’s ease of welding makes manufacturing procedures simpler and enables effective component connecting without sacrificing the material’s ability to withstand corrosion.
  2. Provides outstanding protection against localized corrosion, preventing weaknesses in particular places and protecting important components from corrosive substances.
  3. Durable in corrosive situations, Hastelloy’s strong resistance to uniform assault guards against surface erosion and preserves structural integrity even when subjected to abrasive substances.

Disadvantages of Hastelloy

The following are some of Hastelloy’s drawbacks:

  1. High-stress exposure, such as that experienced during welding or machining, can cause stress cracking and possibly cause a component to fail.
  2. Because Hastelloy is relatively expensive, especially in businesses like the chemical industry, finding supply can be challenging.
  3. Its use is limited in applications that involve lead or zinc because of its incompatibility with these materials. 

What is Monel?

A class of alloys known as monel is composed primarily of copper (52–67%) and nickel (52–67%) with trace amounts of silicon, iron, manganese, and carbon. Monel’s copper content is less than 60%, hence it is not a cupronickel alloy.

Monel alloys are stronger than pure nickel and resistant to corrosion from a variety of harsh substances, such as quickly moving seawater. They are easily constructed through machining, welding, and hot and cold working.

Robert Crooks Stanley, who was employed at the International Nickel Company (Inco) at the time, invented Monel in 1905. Ambrose Monell, the firm president, inspired the name Monel, which was patented in 1906. Since family names were not then permitted to be used as trademarks, one L was omitted. The name is currently a trademark of the company that registered the trademark in May 1921.

Properties of Monel

Compared to steel and monel, monel work hardens more quickly and is more challenging to process. When working with it, one must use moderate rotating speeds and low feed rates. It is commonly employed in situations where extremely caustic conditions exist.

Monel is substantially more expensive than stainless steel. Because Monel alloy 400 can withstand a wide variety of temperatures, its hardness is remarkable. At below-freezing temperatures, Monel alloy 400 exhibits remarkable mechanical characteristics. Impact resistance and a minor loss of ductility enhance its strength and hardness. It remains ductile even after being cooled to the temperature of liquid hydrogen.

Advantages of Monel

A few benefits of Monel are as follows:

  1. Keeps a pleasing appearance, which adds to its adaptability across a range of sectors.
  2. The ability of Monel to undergo shaping or deformation without breaking is referred metal as ductility, and it facilitates manufacturing processes.
  3. Compatibility with brazing, soldering, and welding procedures allows for easier joining and more effective manufacturing. 

Disadvantages of Monel

There are some Monel’s drawbacks mentioned below:

  1. In applications where weight is a consideration, Monel’s greater density concerning other materials is a disadvantage.
  2. Monel alloys are challenging to fuse because of their high nickel content, which can cause cracks.
  3. is more expensive than materials like aluminum and stainless steel, which makes Monel less appealing for applications where cost is a factor.

Difference between Hastelloy vs Monel

  1. Monel is a highly corrosion-resistant, malleable metal that is stronger than steel. 
  2. This alloy group exhibits good resistance to highly corrosive acids such as sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid, in addition to its exceptional resistance to alkali media. 
  3. Additionally, monel works incredibly well for marine engineering applications because of its increased copper concentration. 
  4. Monel components function effectively in brine solutions because of the resistance to biofouling that the copper presence gives.
  5. Conversely, Hastelloys have good acidic solution tolerance. 
  6. Solutions of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and chromic acid are among these corrosive acids.
  7. Specifically, these alloys resistance to sulfuric acid plays a significant role in processing-based industries, as few alloys provide good.

Monel 400 vs Hastelloy C-276

PropertyMonel 400Hastelloy C-276
Composition Nickel-copper alloyNickel-molybdenum alloy
Corrosion ResistanceExcellent resistance to seawater and chemical corrosionSuperior resistance to a wide range of corrosive environments, including strong acids
StrengthModerate strengthHigh strength
Temperature RangeUp to 1000°F (540°C)Up to 2000°F (1093°C)
ApplicationsMarine, chemical, and hydrocarbon processing industriesChemical processing, pollution control, pulp and paper production
CostRelatively lower costHigher cost

Conclusion

Corresponded to Monel, Hastelloy has superior strength, deterioration resistance, and stability to high temperatures. On the other hand, the Monel costs less. Thus, Monel is more economical in the domains in which it can be used. On the other hand, Hastelloy ought to be selected for high temperatures. We provide Hastelloy and Monel at incredibly low costs.