chromel

Chromel is a family of nickel-chromium alloys developed for high-temperature electrical applications. The alloy is best known as the positive leg of Type K thermocouples and as a resistance-wire material for heating elements.

Commercial Chromels are typically nickel-chromium alloys with around 80% nickel and 20% chromium, though exact compositions vary among grades. Variants such as Chromel A and Chromel C are used to tailor properties such as corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and ductility.

Chromel alloys exhibit good oxidation resistance at high temperatures, stable electrical resistivity, and retained strength up to elevated temperatures, depending on grade. They can be drawn into thin wires and formed into coils or ribbons for use in various devices.

Common applications include heating elements in furnaces, toasters, hair dryers, and cartridge heaters, as well as thermocouple leads. In thermocouples, Chromel serves as the positive leg against Alumel to produce a Type K thermocouple.

Chromel is a commercial designation used by multiple manufacturers for various nickel-chromium grades; the name has long been associated with high-temperature electrical applications. It is distinct from Nichrome, another nickel-chromium alloy used primarily for heating elements.