Green is a colour closely associated with nickel since the most common inorganic salts of the metal are bright green in colour.

However, the word 'green' has taken on a new and very important meaning in recent years denoting environmentally friendly attributes, products and technologies.  Many 'green' innovations that are being developed to give a cleaner and more sustainable environment depend critically on one or more nickel-based product.

Automotive exhaust catalysts, for example, use specialised nickel oxides in removing contaminating greenhouse gasses from vehicle emissions.  The new breed of 'hybrid' vehicles - which combine conventional combustion engines with electrical transmission to conserve fuel - require between 8-10 Kg of nickel-based materials in their construction.

Fuel cells, are widely recognised as the most efficient way of converting chemical energy into electrical power.  Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) - one of the most commercially advanced forms of this type of device - rely upon the properties of specially developed nickel oxides for optimum performance.

Many of the most energy efficient electrical storage batteries also depend upon nickel-based products, such as nickel metal powder, for their successful operation.

Pollution by electromagnetic inteference has become a topic of real concern in recent years in relation to the health of humans exposed radiofrequency and electromagnetic radiation.  Particulate nickel-based products have proved to be one of the most effective means of manufacturing devices, such as conductive gaskets, that reduce such radiation to levels accepted by EU and US legislation.

HART MATERIALS LIMITED specialises in the supply of 'green' nickel-based materials for these and other envionmentally positive technologies.