Ferritic steels with high nickel content (generally greater than 3%) are widely used in the temperature range of 0°C to -196°C. Such applications include liquefied hydrocarbon gas storage tanks and structures and machinery used in cold regions. These steels use nickel to lower the impact transition temperature to improve low temperature toughness.
In carbon steel and most low-alloy steels, when the temperature drops below 24 °C, the strength and hardness increase, while the tensile ductility and toughness decrease, and nickel can effectively improve its low temperature toughness.
Nickel steel with a nickel content of 9% was first used in the manufacture of liquid oxygen containers in 1952, mainly for the inner shell of liquefied natural gas tanks. The reason for choosing nickel steel over austenitic stainless steel is its combination of high strength and reliable fracture toughness at extremely low temperatures of -196°C.
