Metallurgical process for purifying aluminum-silicon alloy

• US 3,958,979 A
• Filed: 09/12/1975
• Issued: 05/25/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethyl Corporation (Newmarket Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethyl Corporation (Newmarket Corporation)
• Inventors: Valdo, Alex R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Andrews, M. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/612,939
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 75/68 R, 75/68 A, 75/63, 75/135, 75/148, 75/93 A
• US Class Current: 75/685
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 21/06 refining electrolytic refining C25C; C22B21/0046, C22B21/0061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 9/10 with refining or fluxing agents; Use of materials therefor, e.g. slagging or scorifying agentsC22B9/18 takes precedenceC22B9/006 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of processing an impure aluminum base alloy containing a substantial amount of silicon and a deleterious amount of titanium, which includes melting the alloy and stirring the molten alloy with a molten fluoride flux less dense than the alloy and having a boiling point above the alloy'"'"'s liquidus temperature, then permitting the stirred mixture to stand to settle out a molten alloy in which the titanium content is reduced but not entirely eliminated, and separating the settled out alloy from the flux.

Claims

1. A method of processing an impure aluminum base alloy containing at least about 23 percent silicon and at least about 1.6 percent titanium, which method includes the step of melting the alloy and stirring the molten alloy with at least half its weight of a molten fluoride flux less dense than the alloy and having a boiling point above the alloy'"'"'s liquidus temperature, then permitting the stirred mixture to stand to settle out a molten alloy in which the titanium content is reduced but not entirely eliminated, and separating the settled out alloy from the flux.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the flux is essentially one of the following:

a. cryolite,

b. a combination of an aluminum fluoride with one or more salts of an alkali metal having an atomic number of 3 to 19 and a halogen having an atomic number of 9 to 17, or

c. a combination of cryolite with sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride.