Study of the combination of cast grain refinement and filtered processes on brasses

Abstract

This work considered the evaluation of different parameters and properties of binary brasses 70/30 and 63/37. These materials were previously characterized and then submitted to grain refinement (by mean of chemical additions) and/or filtered. Additionally, SEM observations were carried out to identify the grain refinement mechanisms involved in this process. The results obtained from the grain refinement and especially from the combination of both processes show an important grain size decrease and better mechanical properties. Due to the complexity of the Cu-based alloys, it can be concluded that it is necessary to take into account many factors to understand the mechanisms of the grain refinement-filtered process. The present work shows that probably zirconium (in presence of phosphorus, magnesium, iron, sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen) could be an effective grain refiner to produce grain refínenme in brasses.