Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-11-09

Nickel was first recognized as a simple
metal in l15l, by Con tedt and Bergman.
Its name is derived from the German
name of the ore from which it was scpa
rated, kupfcrEickel, coppernickel, or The
copper Of Nick. This ore was for a long
time previous thought by miners to be an
ore Of copper, but 70 disguised and com
pounded AS to puzzle the metallurgists Of
the lime hence Its name, the Old Nick's
copper. After some years, the metal was
used To alloy with copper and zinc, form
ing German silver. This has been its
chief u-e until within two or three years
pact Our nickel coins are an alloy Of
nics, with copper
Nickel is now extensively mined In
P,nnsylv and Missouri, and is found
in many places in the United States. The
largest part used IN this country comes
from Englu d, Germany and Belgium. It
is mOstly imported IN small, iTr gulur
shaped PARTICLES, known as grain nickel,
and in SIN I'll cuhcs a cubic uickel varying
in purity from 80 10 IS per cent.
Its price has lately iLcre lscd consider
ably, by reason Of IL custom house duty of
80 or GO per cent. placed on 1t by Congtess
for the protection Of the home mAnufac-
turor. 1t costs now nearly 80 per pound.
When pure, nickel is Of almost silver
whiteness, quite malleatle aud ductile,
somewhat heavier than iron, capable of
receiving brilliant polish, and is quite
free from corIosiOn by action of the at
mosphere and various gases. IL is also
very difficult Of usisn, Its melting point
being above that Of cast iron.
These qualities made il specially yalua-
Bile as u coating for other metals. The
article 10 be nickel plated is wei cleaused
and at last carefully rnsed in perfectly
clean water, and copper wire or aires
attached to it to suspend il in the bath.
The nickel-platiug bath Is made up as
follows The nickel solution, which may
he prepared In different ways, according
TO the experience OF the manipula or, must
contain about two ounces of metallic nick
81 TO each gallon of water. 1t is placed
in vessel of non conducting and there
| fore non-metalic material If operating
on a small scale, glass, porcelain or car
then-ware will do il on large scale,
wooden tanks are alone practicable, made
water-tight with appropriate cement.
1 Copper rods are laid lengthwise, their
ends resting on the end Of the vat, one
near each side and two 1T equal distance
| between. Under these rods are suspen
/ ded by copper hooks plates of nickel
| from q 10 n inch thick These plates
are ulod anndos, term denoting, In any
| galyanic battery, the pieces of metal in
| the plating vat connected with the wire
coming from the silver or carbon plate,
| while the wire coming from the zinc plate
/ connected with the article to be plated is
called the cathode.
The battery referred to, and found TO be
the most available, is that Of Since Il
consists of Jars Of earthenware nearly
filled with a solution Of sulphuric acid in
water, say one part acid to 10 water. In
each Of these JaTs are suspended, by the
aid of proper bars and clamps, three plates
one Of carbon or silver and two Of zinc
so that the carbon or silver has plate OF
zinc on each side. These two zinc plates
are connected with u wire. The zinc
plates form the positive element of the
battery, ard the carbon or silver the neg
alive. The dilute acid is the exciting So
luton.
When removed from the bath, the arti.
cles are Immediately rnsed In cold water,
dipped in boiling hot water, and dried in
lockwood sawdust. The singing wires
are removed, and the articles are taken Ia
the "buiiing room" to be polished.
This is accomplished by holding the
article against fast revolving rag-wheels,
with croeus and rouge. A polish is given
them equal to fine mirror. They are
then washed with soap and water, dipped
in hot water, and dried in sawdust, wheu
they are ready for delivery to the custo-
mer.
Well plated articles are white, brilliant
hard, permanent, do not tarni-h by at
mospheric gasrs, rtsists the action Of sui
phur, salt, vinegar, eggs, fruits, aud al
other corrosive articles Of the common
acknowledgements and Builder.