While Inconel is a nickel chromium alloy, Monel is a nickel copper alloy. These materials are employed in harsh environments and have strong temperature and corrosion resistance. The various grades of monel and inconel have additional components like aluminium that enhance specific mechanical properties and make them valuable in particular applications.
In general, the nickel copper combination is more expensive than the nickel chromium composition. However, the costs can range depending on how much nickel, chromium, and copper are present in each grade of the alloys. Because it contains a lot more nickel and chromium than monel, inconel generally costs more.
Up to 66 percent nickel and 31.5 percent copper can be found in monel grades. Nickel makes up between 50% and 55% of the makeup of inconel. However, Inconel also contains additional elements such carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, molybdenum, columbium, titanium, aluminium, cobalt, boron, copper, tantalum, iron, and 17–21% chromium. Iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon are also added to the composition of monel.
Whereas the monel grades are resistant to sea water and reducing media such hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, and alkalis, inconel has stronger oxidation resistance than monel. Because Inconel is resistant to corrosion at high temperatures and has the potential for oxidation, it can be employed in applications that involve increased temperatures. On the other side, monel can be employed in enterprises that produce acid, chemicals, and sea water.
Both substances have comparable melting points. The melting point of Inconel ranges from 1290 to 1350 degrees Celsius. Melting values for different monel grades range from 1300 to 1350 degrees Celsius. Despite having identical melting temperatures, Monel alloys are more durable, which makes them ideal for applications requiring wear and tear resistance.
Due of its higher nickel-to-copper ratio than Inconel, Monel has higher density. Despite having nickel, Inconel has a somewhat lower density than Monel due to the addition of chromium. In contrast to Inconel alloys, which have densities of up to 8.2 grammes per cubic centimetre, monel grades can reach densities of up to 8.8 grammes. Due to this, monel alloys are a little heavier than Inconel variants.
The heat treatment of Inconel can be in the form of solution annealing which is to increase the temperature to higher levels and the allowing for rapid cooling. The cooling usually takes place underwater. Monel is heat treated by age hardening phase followed by a solution annealing similar to Inconel.
More durable than monel is inconel. The monel material's higher copper concentration enhances the material's ductility. In comparison to the monel grades, Inconel is more difficult to process for cutting and shaping operations. The hardness of a substance might vary depending on its composition for each particular grade.
Monel grades may function in temperatures ranging from from zero to 480 degrees Celsius. Inconel materials can function at temperatures as low as cryogenics and as high as 982 degrees Celsius. In comparison to monel, Inconel is more temperature resistant.
The Inconel materials have yield strengths ranging up to 460MPa and the tensile strengths ranging up to 760MPa. The monel grades have yield strengths up to 345MPa and tensile strengths up to 620MPa. The Inconel material is harder and stronger for making high strength accessories for high strength applications.
Grade | UNS No | Old British | Euronorm | GOST | Japanese JIS | ||
BS | En | No | AFNOR | ||||
Inconel 600 Pipe | N06600 | NA 13 | NiCr15Fe | 2.4816 | NC15FE11M | МНЖМц 28-2,5-1,5 | NCF 600 |
Inconel 625 | N06625 | NA 21 | NiCr22Mo9Nb | 2.4856 | NC22DNB4M | ХН75МБТЮ | NCF 625 |
Inconel 601 | N06601 | NA 49 | NiCr23Fe | 2.4851 | NC23FeA | XH60BT | NCF 601 |
Incoloy 825 | N08825 | NA 16 | NiCr21Mo | 2.4858 | NFE30C20DUM | ЭП703 | NCF 825 |
Tensile Strength (MPa) min | Yield Strength 0.2% Proof (MPa) min | Elongation (% in 50mm) min | Hardness | |
Rockwell B (HR B) max | Brinell (HB) max | |||
Psi – 1,35,000 , MPa -930 | Psi – 75,000 , MPa – 517 | 42.5 | – | – |
Inconel | Element (% By Mass) | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ni | Cr | Fe | Mo | Nb | Co | Mn | Cu | Al | Ti | Si | C | S | P | B | |
600 | 72.0 | 14.0–17.0 | 6.0–10.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.15 | 0.015 | |||||||
617 | 44.2–56.0 | 20.0–24.0 | 3.0 | 8.0–10.0 | 10.0–15.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8–1.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.15 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.006 | |
625 | 58.0 | 20.0–23.0 | 5.0 | 8.0–10.0 | 3.15–4.15 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.015 | 0.015 | ||
690 | 59.5 | 30 | 9.2 | 0.35 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.35 | 0.019 | 0.003 | ||||||
718 | 50.0–55.0 | 17.0–21.0 | Balance | 2.8–3.3 | 4.75–5.5 | 1.0 | 0.35 | 0.2–0.8 | 0.65–1.15 | 0.3 | 0.35 | 0.08 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.006 |
X-750 | 70.0 | 14.0–17.0 | 5.0–9.0 | 0.7–1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.4–1.0 | 2.25–2.75 | 0.5 | 0.08 | 0.01 |
STANDARD |
WERKSTOFF NR. |
UNS |
JIS |
BS |
GOST |
AFNOR |
EN |
Monel 400 |
2.4360 |
N04400 |
NW 4400 |
NA 13 |
МНЖМц 28-2,5-1,5 |
NU-30M |
NiCu30Fe |
Monel K500 |
2.4375 |
N05500 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Designation | C% | Co% | Cr% | Mo% | Ni% | V% | W% | Ai% | Cu% | Nb/Cb Ta% | Ti% | Fe% | Sonstige Autres-Other % |
Monel 400 | 0.12 | - | - | - | 65.0 | - | - | - | 32.0 | - | - | 1.5 | Mn 1.0 |
Monel 401 | 0.10 | - | - | - | 43.0 | - | - | - | 53.0 | - | - | 0.75 | Si 0.25; Mn 2.25 |
Monel 404 | 0.15 | - | 52.0-57.0 | - | - | 0.05 | rest/bal | - | - | 0.50 | Mn 0.10; Si 0.10;S o.024 | ||
Monel 502 | 0.10 | - | - | - | 63.0-17.0 | - | - | 2.5-3.5 | rest/bal | - | 0.50 | 2.0 | Mn 1.5;Si 0.5; S 0.010 |
Monel K 500 | 0.13 | - | - | - | 64.0 | - | - | 2.8 | 30.0 | - | 0.6 | 1.0 | Mn 0.8 |
Monel R 405 | 0.15 | - | - | - | 66.0 | - | - | - | 31.0 | - | - | 1.2 | Mn 1.0; S 0.04 |
Tensile strength, Ultimate | 550 Mpa |
Tensile strength, Yield | 240 Mpa |
Elongation at Break | 48% |