GRAIN REFINING OF COPPER-BASED ALLOYS

摘要

A grain refinement method for copper-based metals, which method can be applied to a range of different types of such metals. In accordance with the method, one arranges that a melt of the metal to be grain refined contains each of the following components: (a) titanium and/or zirconium; (b) at least one of: lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium; (c) at least one of: scandium, yttrium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, mercury and the rare earth elements; and (d) at least one of: aluminium, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulphur, selenium and tellurium; and solidifies the melt to produce grain refinement of the copper-based metal, at least one of components (a) to (d) being introduced into the melt by means of a powder which comprises one or more of the components (a) to (d). The invention also provides grain refiners for practising the method.