Invar® Metal Alloys
Magellan Metals is an industry-leading Invar® supplier and other high-grade nickel alloys. We provide metal fabrication and treatment services, custom work with short lead times, and fast delivery on any quantity of Invar® shapes, including tube, pipe, wire, sheet, plate, forgings, and welded rods. Contact Magellan Metals with any questions you may have on our stock of Invar®.
Properties of Invar® 36 Alloy
Invar® 36 is a compound alloy possessing 36% nickel content. Demonstrating good resistance to humidity, Invar® 36 has a lower thermal expansion rate for operation in cryogenic temperatures. Invar® 36 offers easy machinability and favorable mechanical properties for tensile and micro-yield strength. This nickel-iron alloy is excellent for machined parts in radio and electronic devices, aircraft controls, and other applications where changes due to temperature variation must be reduced.Invar® 32.5 Metal Characteristics
Magnetic and austenitic, Invar® 32.5 contains high iron, nickel, and cobalt levels. Providing minimum thermal expansion at room temperatures, it can service temperatures up to -55°C (-67°F), and has lower thermal expansion than Invar® 36 in subzero temperatures. Fabrication can introduce stresses in Invar® 32.5, which can cause variations in thermal expansion behavior. With slightly complex machinability, Invar® 32.5 can be machined with similar tooling geometries used with austenitic stainless steel materials. Due to its mechanical properties, Invar® 32.5 is often used in structural support components and substrates for optical and laser system applications delivering precision measurements.NILO® Nickel Iron Alloy Information
We supply various compositions of NILO® nickel-iron alloys to meet material requirements for industrial applications. Our stock includes:- NILO® 36: A binary nickel-iron alloy with 36% nickel content, NILO® 36 has a low room-temperature thermal expansion coefficient, making it an ideal choice for aerospace material tooling, precision components, and cryogenic engineering for laser components.
- NILO® 42: Containing 42% nickel, NILO® 42 features a low and nominally consistent coefficient of expansion, makes it a choice alloy used in thermostat rods, semi-conductor lead frames, and glass sealing applications in microelectronic components.
- NILO® 48: NILO® 48 has a 48% nickel composition and is an excellent option for thermostats in applications up to 450°C (840°F). This binary compound alloy is mainly used for glass-to-metal seals in soft lead or soda lime glass types.
- NILO® K: Featuring about 29% nickel and 17% cobalt, NILO® K is manufactured to a close chemistry range for repeatable properties in applications where reliability is critical. NILO® K also features magnetic characteristics that can be altered by additional heat treatments and fabrication.
- NILO® 77: A soft, magnetic alloy containing nickel, iron, copper, and molybdenum, NILO® 77 has a high initial permeability, making it particularly useful in applications such as transformers, inductors, magnetic amplifiers, switching devices, magnetic shields, memory storage devices, and more.
Properties of Invar® vs. Stainless Steel Characteristics
Invar® has a similar look and feel to stainless steel materials, but offers enhanced characteristics. With a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of near zero, which is approximately one-tenth that of steel materials, Invar® has improved dimensional stability that withstands variations in stress over time. Operating within temperatures of -150°C (-238°F) up to 275°C (527°F), nickel alloys begin to lose tensile strength before reaching the melting point. It is recommended to keep application temperatures at optimal range. Compared to stainless steel, Invar® alloys provide:- Increased stiffness to maintain material shape under applied forces with minimal deflection
- Enhanced micro-yield strength for improved resistance to micro-yield deformations
- Low thermal conductivity for reduced risk of application overheating