Manganin is a
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...
ed name for an
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...
of typically 84.2%
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
, 12.1%
manganese
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...
, and 3.7% nickel. It was first developed by Edward Weston (chemist), Edward Weston in 1892, improving upon his Constantan (1887).
Manganin Foil (chemistry), foil and wire is used in the manufacture of resistors, particularly Shunt (electrical)#Use in current measuring, ammeter shunts, because of its virtually zero temperature coefficient of resistance value
and long term stability. Several Manganin resistors served as the legal standard for the Ohm (unit), ohm in the United States from 1901 to 1990. Manganin wire is also used as an electrical conductor in cryogenic systems, minimizing heat transfer between points which need electrical connections.
Manganin is also used in gauges for studies of High pressure, high-pressure shock waves (such as those generated from the detonation of Explosive material, explosives) because it has low Strain (materials science), strain sensitivity but high Fluid statics#Hydrostatic pressure, hydrostatic pressure sensitivity.
History
In 1887 Edward Weston discovered that metals can have a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, inventing what he called his "Alloy No. 2."
It was produced in Germany where it was renamed "Constantan".
Five years later, after experimenting with alloys of copper, nickel, and manganese, he developed Manganin. In May 1893, Weston received a patent for the material and its use for resistors. While Manganin represented a significant advance in technology -- the material was a conductive metal with constant resistance over a wide range of working temperatures, Weston did not receive wide recognition at the time.
Properties
Cu86/Mn12/Ni2
Electrical Properties
* Temperature coefficient:
Mechanical Properties
* Modulus of elasticity: 124–159 GPa
* Maximum use temperature in air: 300 °C
See also
List of named alloys
References
{{reflist
External links
Isabellenhütte - 1889 Manganin
Copper alloys
Nickel alloys