Development of Technology for Obtaining Titanium-Containing Bar Alloy for Modifying Aluminum Alloys

Abstract—The results of experimental studies on the development of a method for obtaining titanium-containing bar ligature, the study of its structure and modifying ability are presented. The distinctive features of the new technology are the use of titanium sponge and/or titanium shavings as titanium raw materials, the primary alloying of aluminum with titanium, and then boron, the introduction of titanium in two stages: initially, 2/3 of the titanium metal raw materials are dissolved in the aluminum melt, and the remaining amount is introduced after the reduction of potassium tetrafluoroborate. Pre-impregnation of the titanium sponge with halide-containing flux and the use of a briquetted mixture of KBF₄ + Al-powder are also provided. The experimental technology for the preparation of the Al–Ti–B melt is described, the extraction of titanium and boron into the ligature is calculated, its microstructure is investigated, and the chemical and molecular compositions of the resulting slags are determined. Deformation treatment for the production of bar ligature was carried out by the method of direct extrolling which made it possible to level the defects of the cast structure. It is established that the use of high-speed crystallization-deformation in the implementation of the combined direct extrolling process makes it possible to obtain alloying bars of a given diameter at minimal energy consumption with the required complex of mechanical and operational properties. A quantitative assessment of the modifying ability of the experimental cast-iron ligature and the deformed cast-iron rod obtained by the direct extrolling method was carried out in comparison with the mass-produced cast-iron ligature produced by KBM Affilips (the Netherlands/Belgium). Based on theoretical and experimental studies, the composition and technology for producing Al–Ti–B modifying ligature using titanium sponge and/or shavings and potassium tetrafluoroborate with a content of 3.0 ± 0.3% titanium and 1.0 ± 0.2% boron as alloying additives have been developed, which meets the requirements for the composition of aluminum ligatures.