Grain refinement in aluminum alloyed with titanium and boron

The aluminum corner of the ternary Al-B-Ti diagram was explored. A eutectic: Liq — Al + TiAl₃ + (Al, Ti)B₂ was found at approximately 0.05 wt pct Ti, 0.01 wt pct B; 659.5‡C. TiB₂ and A1B₂ form a continuous series of solid solutions, but no distinct ternary phase was found. The addition of boron to aluminum-titanium alloys expands the field of primary crystallization of TiAl₃ toward lower titanium contents and steepens the liquidus. In equilibrium conditions, pronounced grain refinement is found only in alloys in which TiAl₃ is primary and nucleates the aluminum solid solution before any other impurity can act. The peritectic reaction facilitates this priority but it is not necessary for grain refinement. Because of the low diffusivity of titanium and boron in aluminum, equilibrium is seldom attained and in commercial practice grain refinement by TiAl₃ is found also outside its equilibrium field of primary crystallization.