NIC

NT C

( 133 )

and with the assistance of this eminent chemist.Some particulars of M. Tupputi’s valuable me-moir may be here given.

Pure Nickel- This was obtained fromSpeiss, a compound residue of the Saxon oresof cobalt and nickel, containing sulphur, mucharsenic, iron, copper, cobalt, nickel and a littlemanganese.

The ore was first dissolved in hot dilute nitricacid, and the solution evaporated considerably,by which most of the oxyd of arsenic was sepa-rated on cooling in the form of white crystals.The clear hot liquor was then slowly saturatedwith carbonat of soda, which first separated ayellowish-white arseniat of iron, followed by arose-coloured precipitate of arseniat of cobaltand some nickel, which was succeeded by apale green arseniat of nickel. When this beganto appear, no further alkali was added, but theliquor (still acidulous) was diluted and a cur-rent of sulphuretted hydrogen gas was passedthrough, which after some time separated thearsenic in the form of yellow sulphuret. Theclear liquor, which now contained only nitratof nickel and excess of nitric acid, was decom-posed by an alkali, and the pure oxyd of nickelwas washed and dried.

This oxyd was then mixed with about 3 percent, of pitch and reduced in a crucible linedwith charcoal exactly in the same way as thereduction of the oxyd of manganese is accom-plished, and with an equal intensity of heat.

The button of metallic nickel is of a colourbetween silver-white and steel-grey, sp. gr. 8.38increasing to 8.82 after being forged, and scarcelyless magnetic than iron. It is very considerablyductile and malleable, though it contains a littlecharcoal, which appears when the pure metallicpart is dissolved by an acid.

Oxyds and Hydrats. 100 parts of nickeldissolved in nitric or muriatic acid, precipitatedby a fixed alkali and calcined, give 127 parts ofa blackish ash-grey insipid oxyd. This is thebase of most of the salts of nickel in acids, andis the suboxyd of nickel.

The Peroxyd of nickel, first discovered byThenard, is easily prepared by passing oxy-muriatic gas through the suboxyd when justprecipitated and diffused in water; or by shakingthe wet hydrat of nickel with a solution of oxy-muriat of lime. This peroxyd is black, andgives out oxygen when it dissolves in sulphuric,nitric, or muriatic acids.

When a pure alkali is added to the salts ofnickel, or when the solution of carbonat of

nickel In ammonia is heated, a greenish whitebulky granular Hydrat of nickel is separated,100 parts of which lose 24 of water by low ig-nition, leaving 76 of the suboxyd.

Sulphuret of Nickel is easily formed bymelting sulphur with metallic nickel or with thedry oxyd. It is brass-yellow, soluble in acids,and unmagnetic.

Nickel is not separated in its metallic statefrom its solutions by the addition of any othermetal. Zinc alone troubles these solutions, andprecipitates a little oxyd of nickel when there isno excess of acid; but when there is, a solubletriple salt of nickel, zinc, and the acid employedis produced, and the liquid remains clear.

Sulphat o f Nickel. Sulphuric acid, whenconcentrated, hardly acts upon metallic nickel,but when diluted dissolves it with great ease,giving out much hydrogen and leaving un-touched the small portion of carbon which themetal always contains. This solution formsgreen crystals of sulphat of nickel of the formof a rectangular prism, of a sweet and astringenttaste, soluble in thrice its weight of cold water,and efflorescent when kept in the open air. Ahundred parts of this salt lose in a red heat 55parts of water along with a little acid, so thatthe calcined residue gives a blue to litmus. Theoxyd of nickel in 100 of the crystallized salt is25.63, leaving 29.37 for the acid.

Nitrat of Nickel. Nitric acid of any degreeof strength dissolves nickel with ease, givingout much nitrous gas. The crystals of the saltare octagonal prisms, blueish-green, soluble intwo parts of cold water and also in alcohol.When heated to redness it becomes yellow andolive coloured, loses acid, and is then a nitratwith excess of base, or a subnitrat. By conti-nuing the heat the pure oxyd alone is left.

Muriat of Nickel. This metal dissolvesreadily in muriatic acid, forming when concen-trated a confusedly crystallized mass of an applegreen colour, soluble in less then twice its weightof water and also in alcohol. This last solutionburns with a pale blue flame, passing to greenas it becomes concentrated.

Phosphat of Nickel . The phosphoric acidwhen dilute dissolves nickel with ease, but thisphosphat being insoluble, it is difficult to satu-rate the acid in this manner. The phosphat ismade with perfect ease by any of the solublesalts of this metal and the phosphat of soda.Phosphat of nickel is green, nearly insipid, so-luble in an excess of its own or of many otheracids, but not in water.