A fast and efficient Al-5Ti-1B grain refiner prepared by gas-assisted continuous casting and extrusion process

The feasibility of preparing Al-Ti-B alloy wires based on a novel technology of gas-assisted continuous casting and extrusion (GAC) was investigated. Results show that Al-5Ti-1B alloy wire with fine and uniform distribution of the second phase can be prepared by combining the fluoride salt method and the GAC process. When the wire was added into an industrial pure aluminum at 730 degrees C with an addition of 0.2 wt%, the pure aluminum grains could be refined into equiaxed crystals with an average size of about 140 mu m by contacting time of 60 s, which showed the characteristics of rapidity and high efficiency.