Monel is composed primarily of which elements?

• A. Nickel and copper
• B. Nickel and chromium
• C. Copper and aluminum
• D. Iron and nickel

Answer: (A)

Monel is a family of nickel–copper alloys, with nickel as the dominant element and copper as the next most abundant. In typical Monel grades, about two-thirds of the alloy is nickel and roughly one-third is copper, with small amounts of iron or manganese and other trace elements. This Ni–Cu composition is what gives Monel its strong corrosion resistance, especially in seawater, along with good strength. The other pairings point to different alloy families—nickel–chromium to stainless steels, copper–aluminum to aluminum bronze, and iron–nickel to nickel–iron alloys—so they are not the primary constituents of Monel.