Nickel

Nickel wani sinadari ne na ƙarfe wanda yake cikin rukunin transition metals a jadawalin sinadarai. Yana da alamar Ni da kuma lambar atomic 28. Wannan sinadari yana da launin azurfa mai walƙiya da ƙyalli kuma yana da ƙarfin gaske fiye da yawancin ƙarafa masu kama da shi.

Ɗaya daga cikin manyan siffofin nickel shi ne juriya ga lalacewa da tsatsa. Yana samar da wani ƙaramar oxide layer a saman jikinsa wanda ke kare shi daga cakuɗuwa da iskar oxygen da ruwa. Wannan kariya ce ta sa nickel ya zama ɗaya daga cikin mafi ɗorewa tabbatuwar ƙarafa, kuma hakan ya ba shi muhimmanci sosai a fannoni da dama kamar:

• ƙera alloys stainless steel da Inconel
• masana’antar lantarki
• da kuma fasahar ƙera batir da makamashi.

A fannin kimiyyar lantarki, nickel yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen aiwatar da abin da ake kira electroplating, wato haɗa wani ƙarfe da nickel domin kare shi daga tsatsa ko ƙara masa ƙyalli.

Duk da cewa nickel ba shi da guba sosai idan aka taɓa shi kai tsaye, ƙurarsa ko hayakinsa a lokacin da ake narkar da shi a masana’antu na iya zama haɗari ga lafiya. Ƙurar nickel idan aka shaƙe ta na dogon lokaci, tana iya jawo matsalolin numfashi ko fata, musamman ga ma’aikatan masana’antar ƙarafa.

Tarihin gano sinadarin nickel (Ni)

An gano sinadarin nickel a shekarar 1751 ta hannun Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, wani masanin kimiyyar ma’adinai ɗan ƙasar Jamus. A lokacin, Cronstedt yana gudanar da bincike kan wani ma’adini da ake kira kupfernickel, wanda tsofaffin masana ma’adinai ke ɗauka cewa yana ɗauke da jan ƙarfe (copper). Sai dai duk da ƙoƙarinsu na cire jan ƙarfe daga wannan ma’adini, sun kasa samun sakamakon da ake tsammani. Hakan ne ya sa suka kira shi kupfernickel, ma’ana “jan ƙarfen shaidan” (Devil’s copper) saboda yana yaudarar masu haƙowa.

Cronstedt, bayan gudanar da gwaje-gwaje na kimiyya, ya gano cewa wannan ma’adini ba jan ƙarfe ba ne, wani sabon sinadari ne da bai taɓa bayyana a rubuce ba a kimiyyar sinadarai, wanda daga baya ya ba shi suna Nickel, daga kalmar Jamusanci Nickel wato “shaidan” ko “aljani”, don tunawa da sunan tsohon ma’adini kupfernickel.

Wannan ganowa da aka yi wa nickel ta zama muhimmin cigaba a tarihin kimiyyar ma’adinai da sinadarai, saboda ya taimaka wajen:

• ƙara fahimtar rukunan transition metals
• ƙarfafa binciken sinadarai masu ɗorewa
• da kuma haɓaka masana’antar alloys, musamman wajen ƙirƙirar ƙarfe mai ɗauke da nickel wanda ya fi juriya ga lalacewa da tsatsa.

Daga shekarar 1800 zuwa farkon ƙarni na 20, masana sun ƙara gano sabbin hanyoyin tace nickel daga ma’adinai irin su pentlandite (Ni,Fe)₉S₈ da nickeline (NiAs), wanda hakan ya sa aka fara samar da nickel a matakin masana’antu.

Wannan sinadari yana daga cikin mahiman ƙarafa a duniya, ana samar da shi a ƙasashe kamar Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Canada, da Australia, kuma gano shi a karni na 18 ya zama ɗaya daga cikin matakan farko da suka kafa tushen masana’antar karafa masu haɗin sinadarai (alloy industry).

Siffofin sinadarai na nickel

Nickel ƙarfe ne mai ƙarfi da ɗorewa wanda yake cikin rukunin transition metals a jadawalin sinadarai. Yana da launin azurfa mai kyalli, kuma yana ɗaya daga cikin ƙarafa mafi amfani a duniya saboda ƙarfinsa, nauyin matsakaici, da juriya ga lalacewa da tsatsa.

Nickel yana da lambar atomic 28, tare da nauyin atomic 58.6934 u, kuma tsarin lantarkinsa shi ne [Ar] 3d⁸ 4s². Matsayinsa na oxidation mafi karko shi ne +2, sai kuma +3 wanda yake faruwa a wasu haɗe-haɗe na sinadarai. Nickel yana narkewa a yanayin zafin 1455 °C, kuma yana tafasa a 2730 °C, tare da cikakken nauyi (density) na 8.908 g/cm³.

Nickel yana da kyakkyawan tsarin ductility da malleability, wato yana iya lanƙwashewa ko miƙewa ba tare da karyewa ba, hakan ya sa ya dacewa da sarrafawa a siffofi daban-daban a masana’antu. Wani abin ban sha’awa game da nickel shi ne, yana samar da oxide layer a samansa lokacin da ya haɗu da iska, wanda ke kare shi daga lalacewa ko tsatsa. Wannan siffofi na oxidation resistance ne suka sa ake amfani da nickel wajen haɗa shi da wasu ƙarafe domin kare su daga tsatsa.

A ɓangaren haɗuwa da sinadarai, nickel ba ya da sauƙin oxidation a yanayi na yau da kullum, amma a yanayi mai zafi ko cikin sinadarai masu ƙarfi kamar acids, yana iya yin haɗuwa da sauri. A irin wannan yanayi, nickel yana samar da sinadarai kamar nickel oxide (NiO), nickel chloride (NiCl₂), da nickel sulfate (NiSO₄), waɗanda suke da muhimmanci a masana’antar lantarki da sinadarai.

Nickel yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen ƙirƙirar alloys masu jure zafi, tsatsa, da lalacewa. Mafi shahara daga cikinsu akwai stainless steel, wanda ke haɗa nickel da chromium don samar da ƙarfe mai matuƙar ƙarfi da juriya ga lalacewa. Haka kuma akwai nichrome (nickel da chromium), wanda ake amfani da shi wajen yin zaren wayoyi, da monel alloy (nickel da copper) wanda yake da amfani wajen yin kayan jiragen ruwa saboda juriyarsa ga sinadarin gishiri.

Saboda waɗannan siffofi, nickel ya zama ɗaya daga cikin sinadarai mafi muhimmanci a masana’antar aerospace, injiniyanci, kayan lantarki, da makamashi, inda ake amfani da shi wajen ƙera sassa masu buƙatar ƙarfin jurewa zafi da tsatsa.

Haɗuwa da sauran sinadarai

Nickel ƙarfe ne da yake da matuƙar juriya ga lalacewa da tsatsa, musamman a yanayi na yau da kullum. Wannan yana faruwa ne sakamakon ƙarfinsa na samar da wata siririyar oxide layer (NiO) a samansa wanda ke hana iska da ruwa kai tsaye isa da ƙarfen. Wannan siririn ɓangare na oxide ta zama tamkar kariya wadda ke kare nickel daga lalacewa, musamman idan yanayin ba mai zafi sosai ba ne. Duk da haka, a wasu lokuta, nickel na iya haɗuwa da wasu sinadarai, musamman idan an samu yanayi mai zafi ko sinadarai masu ƙarfi.

Da farko, haɗuwarsa da iskar oxygen (O₂) tana da muhimmanci sosai. A yanayi na ɗumi ko lokacin da ake kona nickel a cikin iska, yana haɗuwa da iskar oxygen don samar da nickel oxide (NiO). Wannan NiO ɗin yana zama wani abu mai tabbatuwa wanda ke rufe saman ƙarfen gabaɗaya, ya hana ƙarin oxygen shiga ciki, kuma yana ƙara kare nickel daga lalacewa. Wannan siffa ce ta ƙarfi da ta sa nickel ya zama ƙarfe mai juriya ga lalacewa a cikin muhalli mai ɗan danshi ko sinadari mai gishiri.

A ɓangaren haɗuwa da acids, nickel ba ya saurin narkewa a yawancin acids a yanayi mai sanyi. Amma idan yanayin ya yi zafi ko acid ɗin ya yi ƙarfi sosai, to yana iya narkewa cikin sauri. Misali, nickel yana narkewa cikin nitric acid (HNO₃) da sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), inda ake samun abubuwa kamar nickel nitrate (Ni(NO₃)₂) da nickel sulfate (NiSO₄). Waɗannan haɗe-haɗe suna da muhimmanci sosai a fannin sinadarai da masana’antar lantarki, musamman wajen yin plating, pigments, da katalysts.

Bugu da ƙari, nickel yana iya yin haɗuwa da halogens, wato sinadarai irin su chlorine (Cl₂), bromine (Br₂), da iodine (I₂). A irin wannan haɗuwa, yana samar da nickel halides kamar nickel chloride (NiCl₂), nickel bromide (NiBr₂), da nickel iodide (NiI₂). Waɗannan sinadarai suna da amfani a fannoni daban-daban kamar samar da kayayyakin lantarki, sinadarai na ɗakin gwaje-gwaje, da kuma ɓangaren katalysts.

Rabe-raben isotopes na nickel

Nickel yana da isotopes masu yawa waɗanda ke bambanta da juna ta fuskar yawan neutrons a cikin ƙwayar halittarsu, duk da cewa suna da adadin protons ɗaya wato 28. Daga cikin waɗannan isotopes, akwai guda biyar da suke da tabbata (stable isotopes), kuma waɗannan su ne suke ba nickel ɗimbin amfani a fannoni daban-daban na kimiyya da masana’antu.

• Nickel (⁵⁸Ni)

Isotope mafi yawa a cikin nickel shi ne ⁵⁸Ni, wanda yake da kusan kashi 68% na dukkan nickel da ke cikin yanayi. Wannan isotope yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen ƙayyade nauyin atomic na nickel, saboda shi ne mafi rinjaye a cikin yanayin duniya. Sannan yana da matuƙar inganci, abin da ya sa shi zama ginshiƙi wajen nazarin sinadaran nickel da alloys ɗinsa.

• Nickel (⁶⁰Ni)

Sai kuma ⁶⁰Ni, wanda yake da kusan kashi 26% na dukkan nickel. Wannan isotope yana da matuƙar muhimmanci a fannin bincike na kimiyya da masana’antu, musamman wajen nazarin ƙwayoyin halitta na taurari da duwatsu (cosmochemistry da geochemistry). Ana amfani da shi wajen gano tsawon lokacin da sinadarai suka yi tun daga lokacin samuwarsu.

• Nickel (⁶¹Ni, ⁶²Ni, da ⁶⁴Ni)

Haka kuma akwai wasu isotopes kamar ⁶¹Ni, ⁶²Ni, da ⁶⁴Ni, waɗanda duk suna da tsawon rayuwa sosai kuma ba sa lalacewa da sauri. Waɗannan isotopes ana amfani da su wajen binciken siffofin alloys (irin yadda haɗe-haɗen ƙarafa ke canjawa da yanayi), da kuma a fannin isotopic tracing, wato bin diddigin sinadarai a cikin abubuwa daban-daban domin gano asalinsu ko wanzuwarsu.

Baya ga waɗannan masu ɗorewa, akwai wasu isotopes masu lalacewa da nickel ke samarwa, kamar ⁵⁹Ni, wanda yake da ɗaukar tsawon rayuwa shekaru miliyoyi kafin ya lalace. Ana amfani da shi wajen nazari da binciken yanayin ƙasa da hasken taurari.

Samuwar nickel a yanayi

Nickel ba ya fitowa a matsayin nickel zalla a doron ƙasa kamar zinariya ko azurfa, saboda yana da matuƙar buƙatar haɗuwa da wasu sinadarai kamar ƙarfe, sulfur, da oxygen. Saboda haka, ana samun shi ne a cikin ma’adanan dutse masu ɗauke da haɗin nickel da waɗannan abubuwan. Mafi yawan ma’adinan da ke ɗauke da nickel sun haɗa da:

• Pentlandite ((Ni,Fe)₉S₈): Wannan shi ne babban tushen da ake samar da nickel daga gare shi. Ana samun shi a cikin duwatsu masu ma’adinai irin su gabbro da norite, kuma shi ne tushen samar da kusan rabin nickel na duniya.
• Garnierite (Ni₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄): Wani ma’adani ne mai launin kore da ake samu a cikin duwatsu masu silicate, musamman a yankunan da duwatsu suka sha ruwan sama da yawa. Garnierite na taka muhimmiyar rawa a samar da nickel a yankunan Pacific, musamman New Caledonia.
• Millerite (NiS): Shi kuma yana cikin rukuni na sulfide minerals, yana da launin rawaya zuwa ƙasa-ƙasa mai walƙiya, kuma ana samun shi a wasu duwatsu na volcanic ko a matsayin sakamakon lalacewar sauran ma’adinai masu ɗauke da nickel.

Nickel yana wanzuwa a cikin ruwan teku a cikin ƙananan ƙarafa, amma ba a iya samar da shi ta wannan hanya saboda adadinsa yana da ƙanƙanta sosai. Haka kuma, a yanayi na volcanic, nickel na iya wanzuwa a matsayin sulfides ko oxides da suka haɗu da wasu ƙarafa kamar cobalt da iron a lokacin da duwatsu suka narke daga ƙarƙashin ƙasa.

Masu bincike sun gano cewa nikel yana cikin ƙasa tun daga samuwar duniya, saboda yana cikin ƙarfen da ya narke ya zama ƙashin duniya (Earth’s core). Hakan na nufin cewa babban kaso na nickel na duniya yana cikin ƙasan ƙasa, tare da ƙarfen iron, wanda ke ba da gudunmawa wajen samar da maganadisu na duniya.

Kasashen da suka fi samar da nickel a duniya sun haɗa da Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Canada, Australia, da New Caledonia. Indonesia ce ke kan gaba a samar da nickel saboda yawan ma’adinan pentlandite da garnierite da ke ƙasar. Waɗannan ƙasashe suna fitar da nickel zuwa ƙasashen da ke sarrafa shi zuwa stainless steel, batir, da kayan lantarki.

Hanyoyin samar da nickel

Samar da nickel daga ma’adanan dutse yana buƙatar matakai masu tsanani na fasahar sarrafa sinadaran ƙarafa, domin yawanci ana samun shi ne a cikin haɗin sinadarai kamar sulfides da oxides. Ana amfani da manyan hanyoyi guda biyu wajen samar da nickel zalla: Pyrometallurgical Extraction da Hydrometallurgical Extraction.

Pyrometallurgical Extraction

Wannan hanya ce da ake amfani da zafi mai tsanani domin fitar da nickel daga cikin ma’adanan da yake. Ana bi ta matakai kamar haka:

• Roasting

A wannan matakin, ana dumama nickel sulfide ores (misali pentlandite) a cikin iska domin cire sulfur. Wannan yana samar da nickel oxide (NiO) da sauran sinadarai kamar iron oxide.

• Smelting

Daga nan, ana haɗa sinadaran da carbon ko coke a cikin tanda mai zafi sosai domin rage nickel oxide zuwa nickel metal (Ni).

• Refining

Ana tace nickel ɗin da aka samu ta amfani da fasahohi kamar electrorefining domin samun zallar nickel tataccen har fiye da 99.9%.

Wannan hanya ta fi dacewa da ma’adinan da ke da nickel mai yawa kuma tana samar da ƙarfe mai inganci, sai dai tana buƙatar zafi mai yawa da kulawa ta musamman don rage fitar da iskar guba kamar sulfur dioxide (SO₂).

Hydrometallurgical Extraction

A wannan hanya kuwa, ana amfani da ruwa ko sinadarai masu narkar da ma’adinai domin fitar da nickel daga ma’adanan da ke da ƙarancin nickel. Matakan sun haɗa da:

• Leaching

Ana narkar da ma’adinan nickel a cikin acids (kamar sulfuric acid) ko ammonium solution, wanda ke fitar da nickel a matsayin sinadari mai narkewa.

• Precipitation

Bayan haka, ana tace wannan haɗi domin a samar da nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂) ko nickel carbonate (NiCO₃).

• Reduction

Daga nan, ana rage waɗannan sinadarai zuwa nickel zalla ta amfani da iskar hydrogen ko carbon monoxide.

Wannan hanya tana da amfani sosai wajen sarrafa ma’adinan da ke da ƙarancin nickel, kuma tana ba da damar tace ƙarfen cikin tsafta sosai ba tare da fitar da hayaki masu guba ba.

Duk hanyoyin biyu; pyrometallurgical da hydrometallurgical, suna buƙatar matakan tsaro sosai, domin nickel ore da ƙurarsa na iya haifar da matsalolin numfashi da fata idan aka yi aiki da shi ba tare da kariya ba. Bugu da ƙari, sinadarai da ake amfani da su kamar chlorine, ammonia, da acids suna da haɗari ga muhalli da lafiyar ma’aikata.

Saboda haka, masana’antun zamani suna amfani da fasahar sarrafa hayaki, tace ruwa, da sake amfani da sinadarai domin rage illar da hanyoyin samar da nickel ke haifarwa ga muhalli.

Amfanin sinadarin nickel

Nickel na da matuƙar amfani a fannoni da dama na masana’antu, kimiyya, da fasaha, musamman saboda ƙarfinsa, juriya ga lalacewa, da ductility mai kyau.

• Masana’antar alloy

Nickel yana daga cikin manyan sinadarai da ake amfani da su wajen ƙirƙirar kayayyakin stainless steel da sauran alloys masu juriya ga tsatsa, lalacewa, da zafi. Haka kuma, nickel alloys suna amfani wajen sassa na injuna da kayayyakin masana’antu waɗanda ke buƙatar ƙarfin gaske da juriya ga yanayi mai tsanani.

• Masana’antar Lantarki

Nickel yana taka muhimmiyar rawa a cikin batura, musamman Ni-Cd (Nickel-Cadmium) da Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal Hydride), saboda ƙarfinsa na adana makamashi da jure zafi. Bugu da ƙari, ana amfani da nickel a electroplating domin samar da saman ƙarfe mai juriya ga tsatsa.

• Kayayyakin likitanci

Nickel alloys suna amfani wajen ƙera implants da ake amfani da su a asibitoci, irin su joints, screws, da dental fillings, saboda juriya ga lalacewa da tsatsa da kuma dacewar su da jikin ɗan Adam.

• Fasahar sinadarai

Nickel na aiki a matsayin catalyst a masana’antar sinadarai, musamman a hydrogenation na maiƙo da fats domin canja su zuwa solid fats ko margarine. Wannan yana nuna mahimmancin nickel a fannin chemical engineering da samar da kayayyakin abinci da sinadarai masu amfani.

Illolin sinadarin nickel

Duk da cewa nickel yana da matuƙar amfani a masana’antu da kimiyya, yana iya zama haɗari ga lafiya idan ba a yi amfani da shi yadda ya kamata ba.

• Shakar ƙura

Shakar ƙurar nickel na tsawon lokaci na iya haddasa matsalolin numfashi, ciki har da bronchitis da asthma, musamman ga ma’aikatan masana’antu da ke sarrafa nickel ores ko foda.

• Allergic reactions

Yawan amfani da nickel a cikin alloys, electroplating, ko kayayyakin ado na iya haifar da allergic dermatitis ga wasu mutane. Hakan zai iya haifar da kurajen fata, yin ja, ko ƙaiƙayi, musamman a wajen aiki da sassa da ke ɗauke da nickel.

Manazarta

Bearden, J. A. (1957). Properties of Nickel and Its Alloys. Reviews of Modern Physics, 29(2), 201–234.

Materion Corporation. (2023). Nickel: Properties and Industrial Applications. Materion Corporation

National Research Council. (2008). Health Effects of Nickel Exposure: A Literature Review. The National Academies Press.

US Geological Survey. (2024). Nickel Statistics and Information. US Geological Survey.

World Nuclear Association. (2024). Nickel and Nuclear Applications. World Nuclear Association

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