Vale sells nickel. Oerlikon sells a self-fluxing alloy. We publish both plus nickel silver.
In a diamond segment the nickel decides bond hardness and diamond retention. Getting pure nickel, a self-fluxing alloy and nickel silver from one line removes three supplier qualifications from the recipe.
The nickel grades are in production supply for diamond tool bonds, galvanising and decorative finishing, under an ISO 9001:2015 system.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratNickel and nickel alloy powders | ValeT123 Nickel Powder1Canada and United Kingdom | Oerlikon MetcoNickel-based self-fluxing alloy powders (Metco 11, 14E, 15E series)2Switzerland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel purity12 | 99.6% min on the high-purity nickel grade | Ni greater than 99.8% typical; Co below 0.00005%, Fe below 0.003%, S below 0.0002% | Nickel as balance in alloyed products; no pure nickel grade in this datasheet |
| Particle size12 | -325 mesh (45 µm) across the range | Fisher sub sieve size 3.8 to 7.0 µm; sieve test 0.1 wt% max above 200 mesh | Nominal range -106 +45 µm on Metco 15E; grade-dependent across the series |
| Self-fluxing alloy chemistry2 | Nickel-base Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B alloy (composition not published per element) | Not offered | Published per product, for example Metco 11A at Cr 15.0, B 3.0, Si 4.5, C 0.65, Fe 3.5, Ni balance; Metco 15E at Cr 17.0, B 3.5, Si 4.0, C 1.0, Fe 4.0 |
| Nickel silver grade12 | Nickel silver (Cu-Ni-Zn) for bright silver-white finishing | Not offered | Not offered in this datasheet |
| Morphology12 | Irregular | Discrete particles with a spiky, needle-like texture, produced by carbonyl gas refining | Spheroidal, gas atomised |
| Bulk or apparent density1 | Not published | Bulk density 1.8 to 2.6 g/cm³ | Not published in this datasheet |
| Diamond tool duty stated by the vendor12 | Controls bond hardness and diamond retention in cutting and grinding segments | Stated to strengthen and toughen diamond tools, and to wet and aid densification of tungsten heavy alloys | Not stated. Datasheet covers thermal spray wear and corrosion coatings |
| Coating and hardfacing data2 | Not published | Not applicable | Coating hardness to HRC 58 to 64 (Metco 15E), fusing temperature 1035 to 1065 °C, service temperature up to 750 °C |
| Certification and provenance1 | ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018; Copper Mark Joint Due Diligence Standard; carbon intensity 38.3 t CO2e per tonne Ni | Not stated in this datasheet |
| Packaging12 | Not published | 200 kg steel drums, six drums per pallet | 10 lb (approximately 4.5 kg) containers, stocked globally |
Competitor values are quoted from the vendor documents listed under Sources, as published on the date shown. Configurations vary, so treat every row as a starting point for the evaluation rather than a like-for-like test result.
What the table means
Three different nickels, one recipe
A segment maker adjusting bond hardness rarely changes one thing. Pure nickel raises toughness, the self-fluxing Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B alloy changes how the bond wets and densifies, and nickel silver is a finish material. Buying those from Vale, a thermal spray house and a decorative powder supplier means three qualifications, three sets of packaging and three lead times. Our line publishes all three at the same -325 mesh cut.
Vale's purity and traceability are genuinely ahead
T123 is 99.8% plus nickel with cobalt below half a part per million, a Fisher size band of 3.8 to 7.0 µm, three ISO certifications, Copper Mark due diligence assurance and a published carbon intensity figure. Our published purity is 99.6% minimum with no sub-sieve figure. For a buyer whose specification is written around carbonyl nickel, Vale is the correct answer and we will say so.
Read what the self-fluxing datasheet is for
Oerlikon Metco publishes its NiCrBSi chemistry element by element, which is more than we do, but the document is a thermal spray datasheet: HVOF, plasma, fusing temperatures, coating hardness. Their alloy is sold to be sprayed. Ours is sold to sit in a pressed segment. Same alloy family, different process window, and a buyer should not assume a spray grade drops into a hot press.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best nickel powder for diamond tool bonds if Vale T123 is not available?
Vale T123 is the reference carbonyl nickel for this work at 99.8% plus purity with a 3.8 to 7.0 µm Fisher size, and Vale states it strengthens and toughens diamond tools. Our high-purity nickel is published at 99.6% minimum at -325 mesh, alongside a Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B self-fluxing alloy and nickel silver from the same line. If your bond recipe is written around carbonyl morphology, the two are not interchangeable without trials. If you are formulating a bond and want the nickel, alloy and other matrix constituents from one house, the case for our line is supply coherence rather than a purity claim.
How does your Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B alloy compare with Oerlikon Metco self-fluxing powders?
Oerlikon publishes composition per grade, for example Metco 15E at Cr 17.0, B 3.5, Si 4.0, C 1.0, Fe 4.0 with nickel as balance, sized -106 +45 µm and gas atomised to spheroidal particles for thermal spray. We publish the alloy family without per-element figures and at -325 mesh, aimed at pressed and sintered bond work rather than spraying. Their datasheet is the more detailed document. The two products are aimed at different processes.
Why does nickel matter so much in a diamond segment?
Nickel content is the main lever on bond hardness and therefore on diamond retention: too soft and the diamonds pull out, too hard and they polish instead of cutting. That is why the useful comparison is not purity alone but whether the supplier can move you across nickel, self-fluxing alloy and the rest of the matrix without changing the variance profile of the whole recipe.
Which supplier is safer for a buyer worried about export restrictions on critical metals?
Nickel itself is widely traded, so the exposure is less acute than for tungsten. The exposure that does exist is corporate: Vale is a Canadian producer refining in the UK, and Oerlikon is Swiss with global stocking. Both are subject to their own jurisdictions' controls and to sanctions policy. Sourcing from an independent producer with a standing import-substitution mandate keeps the bond recipe out of that argument.
Sources
- 1. Vale, T123™ Nickel Powder (UK Drums) product description (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-30 · Updated August 2024
- 2. Oerlikon Metco, Material Product Data Sheet: Nickel- and Cobalt-Based Self-Fluxing Alloy Powders for Thermal Spray (DSM-0263.6) (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-30