Titanium Boron Aluminum Master Alloy for use as Aluminum Grain Refiner

and Process for its Production using UDS Induction Furnace

Amit Kamble, S K Yadav, K Ganguly, and S B Misra
Minex Metallurgical Co. Ltd.
Rajguru Apartments, 3rd Floor, 3 New Nagardas Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400069, India
Abstract
TiBAl (Titanium Boron Aluminium ) Master alloy is used as grain refiner in cast aluminium alloys to provide finer grain size and uniform grain distribution of the TiAl3 and of TiB2 phases in grain refiner so as
to ensure homogeneity, uniform distribution of alloying elements, desired structure and mechanical properties of the cast aluminium alloys. The poster provides a process insight for the
production of TiBAl master alloy in UDS (Unidirectional Stirring) Induction Furnace involving controlled up stirring mode for effective homogenization of fluoride salts in aluminium melt, favouring
faster salt addition, reduced stirring time and limiting the reaction/holding temperature so as to achieve desired finer particle size of TiAl3 having average grain size of 40-45m and TiB2
particles having average grain size of 1.5-2 m and their uniform distribution in aluminium matrix at less cycle time for batch production of the cast master alloy with enhanced grain refining
effeciency.
TiBAl (Titanium Boron Aluminium) Master alloy useful as grain refiner for production of cast
aluminium alloys. Importantly, TiBAl Master alloy adapted to favour finer grain size and desired
uniform grain distribution of the TiAl3 and of TiB2 phases in said grain refiner so as to ensure
improved homogeneity, uniform distribution of alloying elements, desired structure and mechanical
properties of the cast aluminium alloys produced by making use of such master alloy. The paper
provides process for the production of such TiBAl master alloy involving UDS(Unidirectional Stirring)
Induction furnace with controlled and selective stirring preferably for effective homogenization of
fluoride salts in aluminium melt, favouring a simple and cost effective manufacture of the TiBAL
master alloy with desired finer particle size of TiAl3 and of TiB2 phases and their uniform distribution
in aluminium matrix with enhanced grain refining capacity

Experimental:
In conventional practice, the alloying ingredients are provided in the form of double fluorides of titanium and boron with potassium
e.g. potassium fluorotitanate (K2TiF6) and potassium fluoroborate (KBF4). The batching process normally comprises of the following
stages:
Mix of fluoride salts added to stirred body of Al melt in induction furnace (fig. 1)
Alloying

Deslagging

Salt is drawn below melt surface where Ti and Bo are reduced by Al exothermic
transfer reaction

Morphological Characteristics:
Production of TiBAl using UDS furnace shows improvement in grain size TiAl3 and TiB2. The
average TiAl3 grain size is in between 40-45 m as against 50-60 m using normal induction
furnace. TiAl3 maximum size is ~ 110m whereas the same grains are grown beyond 150m for
TiBAl produced using normal induction furnace. (fig 4)
TiB2 particles with average diameter of 1.5 -2.0 m compared to 2-2.5m with normal induction
furnace. Similarly TiB2 particles are grown to ~5m for TiBAl produced in normal induction
furnace whereas, TiB2 growth is restricted in UDS furnace upto maximum 3m. (table 1)

Phase

Equivalent Diameter
Statistics
Range (m)
Parameter
Conventional I/F

Equivalent
Diameter Range
(m) UDS I/F

Max

100 110

160 170

750 - 780C

TiAl3

900 - 950C

slag products composed of molten potassium aluminum fluoride (KAlF4) is

decanted in slag pan

Slag coating flux is

used

Virgin Al ingots are added to reduce the melt temperature so as to ease casting

750C

Melt
stirring

Min

57

79

Average

50 60

40 45

Max

45

34

45
40
35

NO. OF PARTICLES (X100)

Introduction:

30
25
20
15
10
5

Work Coil

TiB2

Min

1.5 2

1.3 1.5
0

Caster speed
1.5MT/Hr

Normal I/F

(Fig. 1)
The stirring pattern in UDS induction furnaces is designed to flow up the walls of the induction furnace, and down in the furnace
center and vice versa. The motion of melt stirring is effectively controlled by phase shift selection. The advantage of UDS is that the
liquid metal can be stirred without increase in temperature which facilitates better homogenization as frequency is low and the melt
can be stirred effectively. UDS has two stirring modes, up and down stirring as shown in fig. 2.

Properzi caster is used for casting of melt in rod form which is subsequently coiled

Caster speed
1.5MT/Hr

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

DIAMETER (MICRON)

(Fig. 4)

(Table. 1)

AA TP1 Test Results:

Grain refinement AA-TP1 test result: AA TP1 test is carried for 10 kgs of aluminum melt at 715
C and 0.01% Ti is added from Al-TiB wire rod. Equal time interval samples are water quenched
and grain refining results are as shown in fig. 4a. Aluminum grains size and ASTM grain
number are plotted with respect to grain refiner addition time is Aluminum melt as shown in
fig. 4b.

Work Coil
2

120
UDS I/F

4.2

4.5
4

3.4

The micrographs and their morphological characteristics (size and distribution) are examined
using AxioVision MAT 40 Carl Zeiss Microscope. The standard grain refining efficiency test of
Aluminum melt is carried as per Aluminum Associations TP1 test.

bath

Results and Discussion:

4.45

4.6

100

(Fig. 2)

Characterization:

30

1 min

3 min

5 min

3.5

80

3
60

2.5

40

ASTM Grain size

Slag coating flux is

used

Melt
stirring

20

90

Casting

slag products composed of molten potassium aluminum fluoride (KAlF4) is

decanted in slag pan

Work Coil
1

10

94

Deslagging

800 - 850C

104

Alloying

In up stirring mode of UDS furnace, the effective stirring of top melt cause the
bottom melt to follow the churning in the sequence of top to bottom. The above
stirring mode is effective in treatment of light powders or salts.

1.5 2

110

Properzi caster is used for casting of melt in rod form which is subsequently coiled

2 2.5

Aluminum Grain Size

Casting

Average

1.5
1

20

0.5

Micrograph of TiBAl produced using normal induction furnace (fig 3a) and uni directional
induction furnace (fig 3b) indicate that the TiAl3 phase distribution in Al matrix is improved
when TiBAl is produced with UDS induction furnace.
It may be note that more than 90% of TiAl3 particles are within size range 10 to 65 microns
and 90% of TiB2 particles are in range of 1.2 to 2.5 microns. The phase distribution is
measure with Auto Measure feature of CarlZeiss Image Analyzer Software.

0
1 min

(Fig. 4a)

2 min

3 min

5 min

(Fig. 4b)

Conclusions:
1. For Up stirring mode of UDS melt is stirred from melt centre to the furnace wall causing a strong
stirring in aluminum melt so that the salt fluoride powders added to the molten bath are carried to
the bottom of the furnace allowing homogenous mixing of charge material and transfer reaction
between salt and aluminum is more effective and power dissipated to the melt being lowered, the
heat generated in the reaction is reduced.
2. TiBAl (Titanium Boron Aluminium) master alloy for use as aluminium grain refiner comprising of
TiAl3 particles and TiB2 particles and having a uniform distribution of said TiAl3 particles having
average grain size of 40-45m with maxima 110-130m and minima 4-5 m and said TiB2
particles having average grain size of 1.5-2 m with maxima 3-5 m and minima of 1.3-1.5m.

(Fig. 3a)

(Fig. 3b)

3.TiBAl master alloy comprising 90% of TiAl3 particles within size range of 4.5 to 55.0 microns with
very uniform distribution in the aluminium matrix and 90% of TiB2 particles within size range of 1.5
to 2.0 microns

Acknowledgement:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the production support from Minex Metallurgical Co. Ltd. work unit at Nagpur and the Jawharlal Nehru Aluminum Research Development And Design Centre for
technical support.

References:
[1] Amit Kamble, S K Yadav,: TiBAl Master Alloy For Use As Aluminium Grain Refiner And A Process For Its Production, patent application 362/KOL/2012, 2012.
[2] P Cizek, Electron microscopy investigation of the TiBAl and TiCAl grain refiner master alloys, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 26 107, 2006
[3] R Vainik, J Courtenay & M Bryant, Optimum grain refining with a high performance master alloy, Aluminum International Toady, April 2009
[4] Prapas Kunnam and Chaowalit Limmaneevichitr, Effect of Process Parameters on Morphology and Grain Refinement Efficiency of TiAl3 and TiB2 in Alumimum Casting, J. Mater. Sci. Technol.,
Vol.24 No.1, 2008
[5] Biroll Yucel, Cakir Osman, Porcess for producing a grain refiner master alloy, international patent WO 2007/052174 A1