Nickel alloy clad steel plate combines the corrosion resistance of expensive nickel alloys with the structural strength and economy of carbon steel. This bimetallic composite has become indispensable in industries where equipment must withstand aggressive corrosive environments while maintaining structural integrity under pressure and temperature.
CoreMetal Steel supplies nickel alloy clad steel plate for demanding applications in chemical processing, oil refining, power generation, and marine engineering worldwide.
What Is Nickel Alloy Clad Steel Plate?
Composite Structure
- Base layer: Carbon steel or low-alloy steel providing structural strength (80-90% of total thickness)
- Cladding layer: Nickel alloy providing corrosion resistance (10-20%, minimum 3 mm per most specifications)
Solid nickel alloy plate of the same thickness can cost 5-10 times more than clad plate, with savings exceeding 60% while providing identical corrosion resistance.
Manufacturing Methods
Explosion Bonding
Controlled detonation forces cladding plate against base plate at high velocity, creating a metallurgical wavy interface. Can bond virtually any metal combination, preserves material properties, produces plates up to 5m x 12m. Ideal for heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and reactor columns.
Hot Rolling (Roll Bonding)
Base and cladding metals are stacked, heated to 1100-1250C, and rolled together. High production rates, excellent bond strength, cost-effective for large volumes of standard combinations.
Weld Overlay (Strip Cladding)
Nickel alloy deposited by SAW or GTAW. Can be applied to existing equipment and complex geometries. Higher dilution (3-8%) requires multiple layers. Used for pipe fittings, flanges, and valve bodies.
Centrifugal Casting
Molten nickel alloy poured into rotating steel mold. Used for bimetallic pipe, pump casings, and valve bodies.
Common Nickel Alloy Cladding Combinations
Inconel 625 Clad (Ni-22Cr-9Mo-3.5Nb)
Sour gas service, offshore platforms, FGD, seawater cooling. Excellent pitting and crevice corrosion resistance. Base: A516 Gr.70, A387 Gr.11/22.
Hastelloy C-276 Clad (Ni-16Cr-16Mo-4W)
Chemical processing, sulfuric acid service, bleach plants. Outstanding resistance to reducing and oxidizing acids.
Inconel 825 Clad (Ni-22Cr-3Mo-2.5Cu-Ti)
Oil and gas production, phosphoric acid vessels. NACE MR0175 compliant for sour service.
Monel 400 Clad (Ni-67, Cu-31)
Hydrofluoric acid service, marine applications, deaerators.
Design Considerations
Per ASME Section VIII and B31.3, clad plate is designed using base steel properties. The cladding provides corrosion allowance only. Welding requires transition zone (buttering) with 309L or ERNiCr-3 at the interface.
Industry Applications
- Oil and Gas: Desulfurization columns, hydrocracker reactors, heat exchanger shells
- Chemical: Reactor vessels, distillation columns, evaporators
- Power: FGD absorbers, condenser tubesheets
- Marine: Seawater piping, ballast water treatment, offshore topside piping
Standards
- ASTM A264: Stainless chromium-nickel steel-clad plate
- ASTM A265: Nickel and nickel-base alloy-clad steel plate
- ASME Section VIII: Clad pressure vessel design
- ASME Section IX: Welding procedure qualifications
Why Choose CoreMetal Steel
Full range of nickel alloy claddings (Inconel 625, C-276, C-22, Incoloy 825, Monel 400), explosion bonded and roll bonded products, custom plates up to 200 mm total thickness, complete certification with bond integrity testing.
Contact CoreMetal Steel today for nickel alloy clad plate solutions.