MUHAMMAD ASIM

E09-334

UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB LAHORE

Aluminium based master alloys

What is a master alloy?

A master alloy is a base metal such as aluminium, copper or nickel combined with a relatively high percentage of one or two other elements. An example is AlTi10% - a binary alloy consisting of 10% titanium in aluminium. A master alloy is a semi-finished product. It is manufactured for use as a raw material by the metals industry. Master alloys are produced in various shapes. Examples are: ingot, waffle plate, rod in coils, etc.

Master alloys are used worldwide. Invariably they are found in plants where metal is melted, alloyed with various elements and then cast into shapes. This can be aluminium, iron, steel or even a precious metal such as gold.

There are various reasons for adding master alloys to a melt. One of the main applications is composition adjustment, i.e. changing the composition of the liquid metal to achieve the desired chemical specification. Another important application is structure control - influencing the microstructure of a metal during casting and solidification in order to change its properties. Such properties include mechanical strength, ductility, electrical conductivity, castability or surface appearance. A master alloy is sometimes also referred to as "hardener", "grain refiner" or "modifier" depending on its application.

Reasons for using a master alloy instead of a pure metal can be economical, technical or both. Some elements show high losses - or poor yield - when added in pure form. Others will not dissolve at all at the furnace temperature prevailing in a casthouse. A master alloy often provides the solution, as it dissolves much quicker at lower temperatures, saving valuable energy and production time.

The master alloy industry uses specialised equipment such as high temperature induction furnaces to produce the alloy composition suitable for use by the regular metals industry.

Master alloy fabrication is a truly specialised field.

We produce a full range of alloys for the global aluminium industry including the critical Aluminium-Titanium-Boron grain refiner alloy. These superbly made master alloys are used in aluminum wrought alloys and foundry alloys for composition adjustments and structure control.

Product range aluminium based master alloys

Aluminium-antimony 8%, 10%, 15% AlSb details

Aluminium-beryllium  2.5%, 5% AlBe details

Aluminium-bismuth  10% AlBi details

Aluminium-boron  3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 8% AlB details

Aluminium-cadmium  10% AlCd details

Aluminium-calcium  5%, 6%, 10% AlCa details

Aluminium-cerium (MM)  10% AlCe (MM) details

Aluminium-chromium  5%, 10%, 20%, 80% AlCr details

Aluminium-cobalt  5%, 10% AlCo details

Aluminium-copper  33%, 50%, 80% AlCu details

Aluminium-copper-phosphorus AlCuP contact us

Aluminium-indium  5%, 10% AlIn details

Aluminium-iron  10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 45%, 80% AlFe details

Aluminium-lanthanum  10% AlLa details

Aluminium-lithium  2%, 5% AlLi details

Aluminium-magnesium 20%, 25%, 50%, 65%, 75% AlMg details

Aluminium-magnesium-boron AlMgB details

Aluminium-magnesium-silicon AlMgSi details

Aluminium-manganese  10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 60%, 80% AlMn details

Aluminium-molybdenum  10% AlMo details

Aluminium-nickel  20%, 50% AlNi details

Aluminium-niobium (Columbium)  10% AlNb details

Aluminium-scandium  2% AlSc details

Aluminium-silicon  20%, 25%, 30%, 50% AlSi details

Aluminium-silver  10% AlAg details

Aluminium-strontium 3.5%, 5%, 10%, 15% AlSr details

Aluminium-strontium-titanium-boron AlSrTiB details

Aluminium-titanium  5%, 6%, 10%, 80% AlTi details

Aluminium-titanium-boron  5/1, 3/1, 5/0.2, etc. AlTiB details

Aluminium-titanium-carbon  3/0.15, 3/0.2, etc. AlTiC details

Aluminium-yttrium  10% AlY details

Aluminium-vanadium  5%, 10% AlV details

Aluminium-zinc  10%, 30% AlZn details

Aluminium-zirconium  5%, 6%, 10%, 15% AlZr details

Rod feeder (variable speed) DA-03 details

Copper based master alloys

Copper based master alloys are produced for the copper and brass industry. The range includes alloys such as Copper-Iron, Copper-Manganese, Copper-Boron and Copper-Zirconium. These alloys have one thing in common: they dissolve better than the corresponding pure metal or metals.

Product range copper based master alloysCopper-aluminium  10%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% CuAl details

Copper-aluminium-boron CuAlB contact us

Copper-antimony  50% CuSb details

Copper-arsenic  20%, 30% CuAs details

Copper-bismuth  25% CuBi details

Copper-boron  2% CuB details

Copper-cadmium  50% CuCd details

Copper-calcium  5%, 10% CuCa details

Copper-cerium (MM)  10%CuCe (MM)

details

Copper-chromium  5%, 10% CuCr details

Copper-cobalt  10%, 15%, 20%, 50% CuCo details

Copper-iron  10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 50% CuFe details

Copper-iron-aluminium CuFeAl contact us

Copper-lithium  2% CuLi details

Copper-magnesium  10%, 15%, 20%, 35%, 40%, 50% CuMg details

Copper-manganese  20%, 30%, 50% CuMn details

Copper-manganese-iron CuMnFe contact us

Copper-manganese-nickel CuMnNi contact us

Copper-manganese-phosphorus CuMnP contact us

Copper-manganese-silicon CuMnSi contact us

Copper-nickel / Cupro nickel  (various compositions) CuNi details

Copper-phosphorus  8%, 10%, 15% CuP details

Copper-silicon  10%, 15%, 20%, 30% CuSi details

Copper-silver  10%, 25%, 30% CuAg details

Copper-tellurium  50%, 82% CuTe details

Copper-tin  (various compositions) CuSn contact us

Copper-titanium  30%, 50% CuTi details

Copper-vanadium  1% CuV details

Copper-zinc  (various compositions) CuZn contact us

Copper-zirconium  10%, 33%, 50% CuZr details

Deoxidised high phosphorus copper  (anodes and nuggets) DHP contact us

Nickel / Cobalt / Iron based master alloys

Nickel / Cobalt / Iron based master alloys are part of a series of sophisticated alloys developed specifically for the iron, stainless steel, special steel and superalloy industry. The comprehensive range includes Nickel-Magnesium and Ferro-Zirconium as well as Nickel-Niobium (Columbium) and Cobalt-Boron.

(N.B. Please find our range of nodularising alloys here.)

Product range additives for the iron, steel and superalloy industryAluminium-iron  10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 45%, 80% AlFe details

Bismuth-manganese  20% BiMn details

Cobalt-boron  15% CoB details

Cobalt-chromium-tungsten (Wolfram) CoCrW details

Cobalt-molybdenum  50% CoMo details

Cobalt-vanadium  65% CoV details

Copper-antimony  50% CuSb details

Copper-arsenic  20%, 30% CuAs details

Iron-nobium / Ferro-niobium (Columbium)  65%  (nuclear grade)

FeNb details

Iron-silicon-manganese-aluminium FeSiMnAl contact us

Iron-titanium / Ferro-titanium  30% FeTi details

Iron-titanium-aluminium FeTiAl details

Iron-zirconium / Ferro-zirconium  80% FeZr details

Lead-tellurium  5% PbTe details

Nickel-aluminium  50% NiAl details

Nickel-boron  15% NiB details

Nickel-calcium  6% NiCa details

Nickel-chromium  20%, 50% NiCr details

Nickel-hafnium  30% NiHf details

Nickel-lanthanum  50% NiLa details

Nickel-magnesium  (various alloys & compositions) NiMg details

Nickel-manganese  60% NiMn details

Nickel-molybdenum  50% NiMo details

Nickel-niobium (Columbium)  65% NiNb details

Nickel-phosphorus  20% NiP contact us

Nickel-tantalum  50%, 60% NiTa details

Nickel-titanium  35%, 50% NiTi details

Nickel-tungsten (Wolfram)  45% NiW details

Nickel-vanadium  60% NiV details

Nickel-zirconium  50%, 70% NiZr details

Tellurium-manganese  30% TeMn details

Zirconium-aluminium  14% ZrAl contact us

Zirconium-iron  15% ZrFe details

Product range nodularising alloys for the cast iron industryNickel-magnesium  (various alloys & compositions) NiMg details

Copper-magnesium  10%, 15%, 20% CuMg details

Application examples of our master alloys

Wouldn't it be great to know all the applications of the master alloys that we produce? After decades of production experience we still find new applications regularly. The field is enormously diverse and the master alloy range correspondingly wide. Knowing it all is impossible and would be very boring too. After all, curiosity is a strong driver for alloy development. Having said that we will nevertheless attempt to give you an idea of some typical applications of our master alloys. Here's a  selection:

Aluminium based master alloys

In the aluminium wrought and foundry alloy world, aluminium based master alloys are usually distinguished into different groups. There are those added for composition adjustment to meet the final chemical specification. They are often added to strengthen the alloy and are therefore often referred to as "hardeners". Examples are AlMn, AlFe, AlCr, AlCu, AlV etc. either in the form of waffle ingot or as a powder compact, i.e. alloying tablets or briquettes.

Another important group is the "grain refiners", alloys that are added for structure control. A grain refiner influences the aluminium alloy during the solidification stage. Its role is to  prevent cracking, combat shrinkage porosity and increase the casting speed. Examples are Aluminium-Titanium-Boron or AlTiB for short. Sometimes also referred to by brand names such as Tibor or TiBAl. Another example is Aluminium-Titanium-Carbon or AlTiC for short, sometimes also called Ticar or TiCAl. These alloys are predominantly used in the form of coiled rod for continuous inoculation during casting. A rod feeding unit (rod feeder) ensures accurate addition rates.

For foundry alloys an important alloy is the Aluminium-Strontium or AlSr "Modifier". Modifiers change the structure of the AlSi eutectic from a needle into a globular shape thereby markedly increasing alloy ductility. Strontium modification today has largely replaced previous Na-modification and is an essential part of modern melt treatment.

Finally some master alloys are added for specific purposes other than the ones listed above. For instance Aluminium-Boron or AlB or Boral is added to increase the electrical conductivity of EC grade aluminium, a procedure often referred to as boron treatment. Aluminium-Beryllium or AlBe and currently also Aluminium-Calcium (AlCa) is added to minimise oxide and spinel formation in AlMg alloys and for instance Aluminium-Zirconium is used to increase the recrystallisation temperature of the 7000 series alloys.    (More: aluminium based master alloys)

Copper based master alloys

In copper, brasses and bronzes one can make a similar subdivision into "hardeners", "grain refiners" and "special alloys". Copper-Manganese (CuMn), Copper-Aluminium (CuAl) and Copper-Iron (CuFe) are added for composition adjustment. Copper-Boron (CuB), Copper-Aluminium-Boron (CuAlB), Copper-Zirconium (CuZr), Copper-Titanium (CuTi) and to some extent Copper-Iron (CuFe) are used as a grain refiner for copper and certain brasses and bronzes. Copper-Magnesium (CuMg), Copper-Lithium (CuLi), Copper-Calcium (CuCa) and Copper-Phophorus (CuP,

are proven deoxidisers. Finally, DHP deoxidised high phosphorous copper is used for decorative copper plating and as an undercoat in electroplating.  (More: copper based master alloys)

Nodularising alloys for the cast iron industry

For the nodular or SG cast iron industry we make Nickel-Magnesium, NiMg or NiMag for short. The range also includes Fe and Si containing alloys such as FeNiMg with or without Ce (MM).  Their task is to provide  a very consistent and reliable Mg-source for graphite nodularisation in ductile cast iron. The use of NiMg or FeNiMg creates less flare and gives lower Mg losses than pure Mg or FeSiMg. (More: nodularising alloys)

Additives for the iron, steel and superalloy industry

We manufacture a highly sophisticated range of master alloys that are used in the production of stainless steels, special steels and superalloys for precipitation hardening, solid solution strengthening, final deoxidation and desulphurisation, nitrogen scavenging, carbide formation etc. The range  includes Ferro-Zirconium (FeZr), Ferro-Niobium (FeNb), Nickel-Molybdenum (NiMo), Nickel-Calcium (NiCa), Nickel-Niobium / Nickel-Columbium (NiNb) and Nickel-Boron (NiB). These delicate alloys must usually meet extremely tight specifications for impurity levels and are subject to very stringent quality assurance procedures. (More: nickel/cobalt/iron based master alloys)

Zinc based master alloys

Perhaps less well known but no less important is our remarkable range of zinc master alloys such as Zinc-Titanium (ZnTi) used for strengthening wrought zinc alloys. Other alloys find their way into the galvanising industry with the aim of improving zinc coating properties. (More: zinc based master alloys)

Lead based master alloys

We produce master alloys for the battery makers such as Lead-Selenium (PbSe) and Lead-Calcium (PbCa)  for improving the properties of grid and plate alloys and for reducing the aging effects of repeated draining/charging cycles. (More: lead based master alloys)

Special alloys

KBM Affilips has developed many special, non-standard binary, ternary and complex alloys in close consultation with the end users. Worth mentioning is our capability to manufacture small batches (5-50 mt) of aluminium alloy rod for the production of bolts and fasteners, aluminium welding rod and wire for special purposes such as flame spraying, sputtering and vapour deposition. An offshoot of our experience with boron containing alloys is the production of wear resistant aluminium composites.

We therefore encourage you to discuss your metallurgical requirements with us. Our capabilities are described in more detail on our special