Overview
As the most commonly used nickel alloys, both Monel 400 and Inconel 600 have excellent corrosion resistance.
However, due to their different composition, they are used in different fields and cannot be substituted for each other. Among them, Monel 400 is mainly used in room temperature marine applications. And Inconel 600 is more used for high temperature applications.
In this article, we will compare the two alloys in detail from 10 aspects.
Basic Information
Name
Monel 400
UNS N04400
W.Nr. 2.4360
Brand
MONEL®
Matrix
Type
Solid Solution
Strengthened Alloy
Density
8.80 g/cm³
Use Temperature
Room Temperature
Name
Inconel 600
UNS N06600
W.Nr. 2.4816
Brand
INCONEL®
Matrix
Type
Solid Solution
Strengthened Alloy
Density
8.47 g/cm³
Use Temperature
High Temperature
Introduction
Monel 400
MONEL® nickel-copper alloy 400 (UNS N04400 / W.Nr. 2.4360 and 2.4361) is a solid-solution alloy that can be hardened only by cold working. It has high strength and toughness over a wide temperature rangeand excellent resistance to many corrosive environments.
Inconel 600
INCONEL® (nickel-chromium-iron) alloy 600 (UNS N06600 / W.Nr. 2.4816) is a standard engineering material for applications which require resistance to corrosion and heat. The alloy also has excellent mechanical properties and presents the desirable combination of high strength and good workability.
Chemical Composition
Purity
Monel 400
lose
Inconel 600
WIN
Inconel 600 has stricter control of harmful elements (sulfur and manganese) than Monel 400. Sulfur and manganese have obvious adverse effects on the durable properties and transient properties of alloys at high temperatures. Inconel 600 needs to work at high temperature, so it has higher requirements for purity.
Corrosion Resistance
Monel 400
Seawater Corrosion
Inconel 600
High-temp Corrosion
Both Monel 400 and Inconel 600 have very good corrosion resistance, but their corrosion resistance principle is different.
The corrosion resistance of Alloy 400 is mainly derived from copper. Copper has a corrosion resistance that most metals do not have at room temperature, especially in flowing seawater. This corrosion resistance makes Monel 400 irreplaceable in marine applications. However, copper is very easy to oxidize at high temperatures. Therefore Monel 400 is rarely used in high temperature corrosion resistant applications.
The corrosion resistance of Inconel 600 is mainly derived from chromium. Chromium itself can be oxidized. But after oxidation, chromium oxides will form a protective film on the surface of the alloy. This protective film isolates the oxidizing species from the alloy, thereby preventing further oxidation of the alloy. This antioxidant effect also works well at high temperatures.
Mechanical Behavior
Monel 400
lose
Inconel 600
WIN
Overall, the strength of Monel 400 and Inconel 600 is not high. However, compared with copper, chromium has a more obvious solid solution strengthening effect. Therefore, Inconel 600 has higher strength than Monel 400. This also ensures the high temperature resistance of Inconel 600.
Physical Properties
| Monel 400 | Inconel 600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Density, g/cm³ | 8.80 | 8.47 |
| Density, lb/in.³ | 0.318 | 0.306 |
| Melting Range, °F | 2370-2460 | 2470-2575 |
| Melting Range, °C | 1300-1350 | 1354-1413 |
| Curie Temperature, °F | 70-120 | -192 |
| Curie Temperature, °C | 21-49 | -124 |
Application
It can be seen that Monel 400 is used more for normal temperature applications, while Inconel 600 is more used for high temperature applications.
Supported Products
Monel 400
Main Standards
Monel 400
Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tube: ASTM B163
Seamless Pipe and Tube: ASTM B165, ASTM B829
Welded Pipe: ASTM B725, ASTM B775
Welded Tube: ASTM B730, ASTM B751
Welded Fittings: ASTM B366
Rod, Bar, and Wire: ASTM B164
Forgings: ASTM B564
Plate, Sheet, and Strip: ASTM B127
Inconel 600
Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tube: ASTM B163
Seamless Pipe and Tube: ASTM B167, ASTM B829
Welded Pipe: ASTM B517, ASTM B775
Welded Tube: ASTM B516, ASTM B751
Welded Fittings: ASTM B366
Rod, Bar, and Wire: ASTM B166
Forgings: ASTM B564
Plate, Sheet, and Strip: ASTM B168, ASTM B906
Price
Monel 400
Tie
Inconel 600
Tie
The price difference between the two alloys is very small. And because the two alloys have different applications and cannot replace each other, their prices are not comparable.
Conclusion
Monel 400 is a nickel-copper alloy. It has excellent corrosion resistance in flowing seawater and is suitable for room temperature corrosion resistant applications.
Inconel 600 is a nickel-chromium-iron alloy primarily used in high temperature corrosion resistant applications.
We manufacture high performance Monel 400 and Inconel 600 alloys. You can contact us for a quote.
