The nitrogen solubility in,liquid nickel and the influence of the alloying elements Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, and Co in binary Ni based alloys under elevated nitrogen partial pressure up to 25 bar (up to 40 bar for Ni-Mo alloys, 46 bar for pure Ni and 60 bar for Ni-Cr alloys) were examined systematically. The validity of Sievert's law was ascertained by means of regression analysis. The first and second order interaction parameters according to the Wagner formalism were evaluated. (C) 2003 Acta Materialia lnc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.-All rights reserved.