Nickel 200, Nickel 201 & Nickel 233 Properties, Applications, and Specifications

UNS N02200, UNS N02201, UNS N02233

EFINEA Metals supplies the commercially pure wrought nickel grades that electrical, electronic, and chemical processing engineers most often specify. This page consolidates the technical reference material for Nickel 200, Nickel 201, and Nickel 233, including thermal characteristics, physical properties, mechanical properties, chemistry, specifications, and the applications for which each grade is most commonly used.

For questions about which grade fits your application, our sales engineers and metallurgists are reachable at 800-348-6268. No order quantity is too small. We stock these grades in plate, sheet, strip, rod, and bar for prompt shipment.

Nickel 200 Properties

The property data below covers the physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical behavior most often referenced when evaluating Nickel 200 for chemical processing, electronic, and electrical service. Values are for material in the annealed condition unless otherwise noted.

Nickel 200 Typical Physical Properties

Physical properties describe how Nickel 200 behaves as a bulk material with no load applied. These values are used for calculating heat transfer, sizing current paths, and estimating component weight.

Nickel 200 Typical Mechanical Properties

Mechanical properties indicate how Nickel 200 will behave during forming, machining, and service loading. Values shown are for material in the annealed condition at room temperature.

Nickel 200 Thermal & Electrical Properties (Annealed)

The table below shows how thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, and electrical resistivity vary across the operating temperature range. Note that resistivity increases steadily with temperature, while thermal conductivity peaks at low temperatures and falls as temperature rises.

Nickel 201 Properties

The tables below cover physical, mechanical, elevated-temperature tensile, thermal, and electrical properties for Nickel 201 in the annealed condition.

Nickel 201 Typical Physical Properties

The physical property values for Nickel 201 are nearly identical to Nickel 200, which reflects the shared base chemistry. The meaningful differences between the two grades show up under thermal exposure and in forming behavior, not in bulk physical constants.

Nickel 201 Typical Mechanical Properties

Nickel 201 shows slightly higher tensile strength and significantly better elongation than Nickel 200 in the annealed condition, which is the reason it is preferred for parts requiring deep drawing or spinning. 

Nickel 201 Typical Tensile Properties (Annealed)

The tensile behavior of Nickel 201 at elevated temperatures is well documented. Tensile strength holds reasonably stable up to about 316°C (600°F), then declines as temperature rises further. Elongation increases at elevated temperatures, which reflects the alloy’s continued ductility under heat.

Nickel 201 Thermal & Electrical Properties

Nickel 201 follows the same general thermal and electrical behavior as Nickel 200, with resistivity climbing across the full operating range and conductivity tracking inversely with temperature.

Nickel 233 Properties

The property values below reflect the tighter chemistry and the application requirements that drive its use, and are governed by ASTM F3 Grade 1.

Nickel 233 Physical Properties

Nickel 233 shares the same base nickel chemistry as Nickel 200 and 201, but the tighter residual element controls produce slightly different physical behavior. Curie temperature sits a few degrees lower, and the alloy is held to ASTM F3 Grade 1 rather than the ASTM B specifications that govern the other two grades.

Nickel 233 Typical Mechanical Properties

Nickel 233 shows higher yield strength than either Nickel 200 or 201 in the annealed condition, with hardness and modulus values consistent with the other commercially pure grades.

Chemistry of Nickel 200, 201 & 233

The chemistry table below shows how the three grades compare on a single page. Nickel content is held to 99.0% minimum across all three, but the residual element limits tell the practical story. Carbon is the key variable between Nickel 200 and Nickel 201, while Nickel 233 holds copper, iron, and silicon to much tighter levels than either of the other grades.

Every shipment from EFINEA includes mill certifications, and chemistry can be verified with handheld XRF equipment at our warehouses when documentation traceability is critical to the program.

Nickel 200, 201, 233 Specifications

For additional background, the websites of ASTM International and ASM International publish the full technical standards governing these grades. If you are working from an older drawing that calls out a superseded designation, contact our sales team for assistance with the cross-reference.

Applications

Commercially pure wrought nickel is specified across a wide range of electrical, electronic, and chemical processing applications where high-purity nickel chemistry, good electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance are required. The list below covers the most frequently requested uses for Nickel 200, Nickel 201, and Nickel 233.

Battery Plates and Ni-Cd Batteries

Nickel plates and tabs are core components of nickel-cadmium and nickel-iron rechargeable battery systems. The corrosion resistance of pure nickel in alkaline electrolytes, combined with predictable electrical behavior, makes these grades the standard choice for battery construction in industrial and aerospace power systems.

Fuel Cells

Fuel cell stacks use nickel components in bipolar plates, current collectors, and electrode supports. The corrosion resistance of pure nickel in alkaline fuel cell environments, along with its electrical performance, supports long operating lifetimes in both alkaline and molten carbonate fuel cell designs.

Spark Gaps

Spark gap electrodes in surge protection and ignition systems are fabricated from pure nickel because the alloy resists arc erosion and maintains stable gap geometry through repeated discharge cycles.

Semiconductor Supports

Lead frames, headers, and structural supports for semiconductor devices use pure nickel where corrosion resistance, solderability, and consistent electrical behavior are required. The tight chemical controls on Nickel 233 make it ideal for semiconductor applications where residual-element contamination cannot be tolerated.

Special Purpose Electron Tubes

Klystrons, magnetrons, traveling wave tubes, and other specialty electron tubes use pure nickel for cathodes, grids, anodes, and structural supports. Nickel 233 is the grade most often specified here because of its strict residual element controls and predictable electrical and thermal behavior.

Cathode Shields

Cathode shields in vacuum electron devices are typically formed from Nickel 201 because of its low-carbon chemistry and superior formability. The shield protects the cathode assembly during operation and assists with thermal management in the tube.

Heating Element Sheathing

Nickel sheathing protects resistance heating elements from oxidation, mechanical damage, and chemical attack in industrial heating applications. The high melting point and good thermal conductivity of pure nickel support operation at elevated temperatures.

Anodes

Pure nickel anodes are used in electroplating operations where nickel ions are deposited onto a substrate. The chemistry of these grades supports stable dissolution rates and consistent plating performance.

Getter Tabs

Getter tabs are used in vacuum tube and sealed device manufacturing to absorb residual gases after the device is sealed. Pure nickel substrates are commonly used as carriers for the active getter material because they provide a stable, low-outgassing platform that does not contaminate the device atmosphere.

Transducers

Nickel is one of a small group of metals that exhibit useful magnetostrictive properties, which means its dimensions change in response to an applied magnetic field. This characteristic is exploited in ultrasonic transducers, sonar systems, and certain types of actuators.

Why Source Nickel from EFINEA Metals

EFINEA Metals has supplied electronic and electrical-grade nickel to high-technology industries since 1965. As a Nickel 200 supplier, Nickel 201 supplier, and Nickel 233 supplier with inventory across four ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D-certified facilities in New Jersey and California, we ship standard stock within 24 hours of order confirmation. Our in-house precision cutting, shearing, slitting, and waterjet services support prototype quantities and production runs. 

Every shipment includes mill certifications, and our metallurgists are available to consult on grade selection, specification interpretation, and fabrication guidance.

To request a quote, download the EFINEA Nickel 200, Nickel 201, or Nickel 233 data sheets from our Technical Library, or to speak with a sales engineer, call 800-348-6268. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Nickel 200, 201 & 233