Nickel 200 is commercially pure wrought nickel, typically 99.6% nickel or better, with only small residual amounts of iron, manganese, silicon, and copper. It is cross-referenced to rod and bar under ASTM/ASME B160-SB160, seamless pipe under B161/SB161, and seamless tube under B163/SB163, the DIN 17750-17754 series of wrought nickel standards, and UNS N02200. Despite frequently being filed alongside heat-resistant superalloys in general ISO material-group charts (because both are nickel-based), Nickel 200 is not a superalloy. It has no chromium, no gamma-prime strengthening, and no elevated-temperature strength to speak of - its value comes from outstanding resistance to caustic soda and other strong alkalis, very high thermal and electrical conductivity, and good ductility from cryogenic temperatures up to roughly 600°F (above which carbon in the alloy can promote graphitization and embrittlement - see Nickel 201 for the low-carbon version made for that service window).

Typical applications include caustic evaporators and piping, food and chemical processing equipment, electronic and electrical components (lead wires, current-carrying parts, cathodes), and any application trading on nickel's conductivity or its near-immunity to hot concentrated caustic.

Nickel 200 machines nothing like a nickel superalloy, and treating it as one is a common - and costly - mistake. Because it is nearly pure metal with high thermal conductivity, heat generated at the cutting edge actually dissipates reasonably well into the chip and workpiece, rather than concentrating at the tool tip the way it does in low-conductivity superalloys. The real challenge with Nickel 200 is its softness and ductility: it is a gummy material that readily smears, drags, and welds to a cutting edge that is not sharp enough or not properly relieved. Built-up edge (BUE) is the dominant failure mode, not crater wear or notching, and once BUE forms it tears the surface finish and can rip material rather than shear it cleanly.

Nickel 200 also work-hardens under a dull or rubbing edge, so light, hesitant cuts are counterproductive - a steady, adequate chip load that keeps the tool cutting below the previously deformed layer is essential. Sharp, positive-rake geometries with polished flutes and rake faces are strongly preferred over the neutral-to-negative, heavily honed edges used on true superalloys; a keen edge shears the ductile material instead of pushing and smearing it. Flood coolant or a cutting fluid with good lubricity helps control BUE and evacuate the long, stringy chips this alloy tends to produce. With the right sharp-edge, high-rake approach, Nickel 200 is considerably easier to cut than an actual Ni-Cr-Co superalloy, even though the raw material group label on some data sources suggests otherwise.