LLC “Institute “Gipronikel”, Saint Petersburg, Russia:
L. V. Biketova, Senior Researcher of Hydrometallurgy Laboratory
Yu. N. Lisakov, Senior Researcher of Hydrometallurgy Laboratory

A. S. Mnukhin, Retired Employee
Yu. M. Pelikh, Head of a Group (Hydrometallurgy Laboratory)

This paper describes the well-known fields of nickel refining, according to carbonyl method. Nature of carbonyl method of nickel production is conducted in nickel recovery in the form of volatile compound — Ni(CO)₄ (nickel carbonyl) — from various nickel-containing materials, followed by carbonyl decomposition, metallic nickel release and recirculation of carbon monoxide to the process. Two principal types of nickel carbonyl thermal decomposition are considered. Decomposition on the pre-heated surface (heterogeneous decomposition) runs on solid and gas phase boundary and obtains massive nickel production. At the initial stages, decomposition in free pre-heated space (decomposition in space) takes place only in the gas phase (in homogeneous manner) and obtains powder-type metal. Development and creation of brand new nickelcontaining materials and nickel-based products are required by the following factors: modern equipment level and growth, observed in aviation, aerospace, oil & gas and chemical industries; progress in medical sciences; production of electric current sources; and communication means (including the most innovative spheres). Considering the foregoing, nickel products’ consumers and producers take an active interest in carbonyl process as the only metal refining method ensuring production of highpurity compact, porous, composite and dispersed (including nano-sized) materials having the preset chemical composition and physical-and-technological properties. The carbonyl process features allow to produce a wide spectrum of materials with unique properties. For two recent decades, various studies and developments have been performed at Institute “Gipronikel”, making possible to produce a number of foregoing materials. The technologies were tested on laboratory, pilot and commercial scales. Among these materials, there are various grades of carbonyl nickel powders, carbonyl nickel pellets, composite powder materials with carbonyl nickel coating, foam-nickel, various types of surface shapers and coatings. There are presented the brand new nanomaterials, produced in the course of studies: carbon nanotubes, whiskers, graphenes, nickel and iron nanopowders. Active application of these materials has been just started.