As the global leader in the development and production of aluminium grain refiners, aluminium master alloys, metal treatment alloys and compacted alloying products, Metallurg Aluminium is constantly developing innovative products to improve casthouse efficiency. Our unique 8% boron aluminium master alloy, known as 8BAl™, is breaking new ground in cost-effective transition metal removal.
The Importance of Transition Metal Impurities

The removal of transition metal impurities is essential in producing high-conductivity aluminium for wire and cable applications. Titanium, vanadium, chromium and zirconium and other elements – present in the metal as smelter impurities – significantly impede the electrical conductivity of aluminium. These solute impurities are generally precipitated from the melt through the addition of boron aluminium master alloys.
Boron Aluminium Treatments

Boron aluminium treatment is an environmentally safer and more cost-effective alternative to borax addition to electrolytic cells or potassium borofluoride (KBF4) treatment of aluminium in the mixing or holding furnace. Boron aluminium treatment avoids boron contamination of electrolytic cells, and eliminates KBF4 refractory attack.
How Boron Aluminium Treatment Works

After the addition of BAl (with an AlB2 or AlB12 microstructure), solute Ti, V and other impurities react with the aluminium borides, and these particles are precipitated, settling to the bottom of the melt to form a boride sludge. Clean, high conductivity Al is then decanted. Boron is trapped in the sludge at the bottom of the furnace. Adding boron in the launder in rod or Castcut™ form is an alternative, and less common treatment method. In this case, borides formed would be trapped in the filters. With either method, boron recovery should not be expected in the final alloy.