Monel

Monel is a group of alloys of nickel (from 52 to 68%) and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. Monel is not a cupronickel alloy because it has less than 60% copper. Stronger than pure nickel, Monel alloys are resistant to corrosion by many aggressive agents, including rapidly flowing seawater. They can be fabricated readily by hot- and cold-working, machining, and welding. Monel was created in 1905 by the American industrialist Robert Crooks Stanley at the International Nickel Company (Inco) and patented in 1906. It was named after Ambrose Monell, the president of Inco, with an L dropped, because family names were not allowed as trademarks. The trademark was registered in May 1921, and now belongs to the Special Metals Corporation, the successor of Inco and Huntington Alloys Corporation. As an expensive alloy, it is used in applications where it cannot be replaced with cheaper alternatives. For example, in 2015, Monel pipe was more than three times as expensive as carbon steel pipe.