Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
This article, Part II in a series, reports on the grain refining performance of the Al–Ti–C alloys produced by reactive synthesis. Grain refinement was tested as a function of the following parameters in the reaction synthesis process: Ti content, Ti/C ratio, and cooling rate after the reaction. The grain refining performance of the alloys in the as-synthesized condition was limited due to either a shortage of TiC particles or an insufficient amount of aluminum matrix. Dilution of the alloys to a nominal composition of 3 wt% Ti, followed by extrusion improved the grain refinement to the level of commercially available Al–Ti–C grain refining alloys. A prerequisite for successful secondary processing is that the conversion of carbon is completed in the reaction synthesis; otherwise Al4C3 is formed rather than TiC.