Nichrome is an alloy of nickel and chromium with small amounts of silicon, manganese and iron. It resists corrosion, even when red hot, so is used as an electrical resistance heating element (Nichrome Resistive Element And Method Of Making Same (1989)).
Electroplated nickel resists corrosion and is used to protect other metals (Nickel electroplating bath (1944)).
Nickel steel is used for armour plating (Improvement in the Manufacture of Chrome Nickel Steel for Armour Plates, Projectiles and the like (1915)).
Other alloys of nickel are used in marine applications (Oxidation-And Hot Corrosion-Resistant Nickel-Base Alloy Coatings And Claddings For Industrial And Marine Gas Turbine Hot Section Components And Resulting Composite Articles (1988)), and turbine blades (Nickel-Base Alloys Adaptable For Use As Steam Turbine Structural Components (1971)).
Nickel is used in batteries, including rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries (Method Of Making Nickel-Cadmium Batteries (1954)), and nickel-metal hydride batteries (Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride Storage Battery For Electric Vehicle (1997)) used in hybrid vehicles.
Nickel has a long history of being used in coins (Coin Blank Made Essentially From Copper And Nickel (1994)). The US five-cent piece (known as a ‘nickel’) is 25% nickel and 75% copper. Finely divided, nickel based catalysts are used for hydrogenating vegetable oils (Nickel Boride-Polymer In-Oil Catalyst (1985)).
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All patent information has been obtained from Espacenet (European Patent Office).