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.

The high nickel content gives the alloy resistance to corrosion by many organic and inorganic compounds and also makes it virtually immune to chloride-ion stress-corrosion cracking. Chromium confers resistance to sulfur compounds and also provides resistance to oxidizing conditions at high temperatures or in corrosive solutions. The alloy is not precipitation hardenable; it is hardened and strengthened only by cold work.

The versatility of INCONEL alloy 600 has led to its use in a variety of applications involving temperatures from cryogenic to above 2000°F (1095°C).

The alloy is used extensively in the chemical industry for its strength and corrosion resistance. Applications include heaters, stills, bubble towers and condensers for processing of fatty acids; evaporator tubes, tube sheets and flaking trays for the manufacture of sodium sulfide; and equipment for handling abietic acid in the manufacture of paper pulp.

The alloy's strength and oxidation resistance at high temperatures make it useful for many applications in the heat-treating industry. It is used for retorts, muffles, roller hearths and other furnace components and for heat-treating baskets and trays.

In the aeronautical field, INCONEL alloy 600 is used for a variety of engine and airframe components which must withstand high temperatures. Examples are lockwire, exhaust liners and turbine seals.

INCONEL alloy 600 is used in the electronic field for such parts as cathode-ray tube spiders, thyratron grids, tube support members and springs.

The alloy is a standard material of construction for nuclear reactors. It has excellent resistance to corrosion by high-purity water, and no indication of chloride-ion stress-corrosion cracking in reactor water systems has been detected. For nuclear applications, the alloy is produced to exacting specifications and is designated INCONEL alloy 600T.