This thesis develops a new quantitative multi-phase field model for polycrystalline solidification of binary alloys. We extend the thin interface formalism of Karma and co-workers to multiple order parameters. This makes it possible to model segregation and interface kinetics during equiaxed dendritic growth quantitatively, a feature presently lacking from polycrystalline or multi-phase solidification models. We study dendrite tip speed convergence as a function of interface width during free dendritic growth. We then analyze the steady state and grain coalescence properties of the model. It is shown that the model captures the correct physics of back diffusion and repulsive grain boundary coalescence as outlined by Rappaz and co-workers. Finally, the model is applied to simulate solidification and coarsening in delta-ferrite solidification. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

No description available.

L'objectif de ce travail de thèse, est de développer un matériau d'apport et un mode opératoire de soudage associé permettant d'assembler des tôles d'acier K44X pour la fabrication de collecteurs d'échappement automobiles. Les propriétés de l'acier K44X ayant été optimisées pour répondre au mieux aux contraintes de l'application, les conditions de soudage recherchées devront, dans la mesure du possible, éviter de dégrader les caractéristiques de l'acier, en particulier en termes de tenue mécanique à haute température et de résistance à l'oxydation et à la fatigue thermique. Ce mémoire est divisé en quatre chapitres. Le premier chapitre est consacré à une présentation synthétique des évolutions dans le domaine de la fabrication des collecteurs d'échappement automobiles, et des connaissances actuelles dans les domaines des aciers inoxydables ferritiques et sa soudabilité, des procédés de soudage à l'arc. Le second chapitre présente les caractéristiques de l'acier K44X et la problématique de l'étude, puis décrit le travail d'élaboration des matériaux d'apport de différentes compositions. Ainsi que les résultats d'une caractérisation préliminaire des soudures obtenues avec les différents matériaux. Le chapitre 3 traite de la caractérisation de la tenue en service de l'assemblage retenu à l'issu du chapitre précédent. Les tests d'oxydation, de traction à chaud sur zone fondue des soudures ou sur assemblages complets, et de fatigue thermique, utilisés pour réaliser cette caractérisation sont décrits, et les résultats sont discutés. La fin de ce chapitre est consacrée à la caractérisation des précipités formés dans les zones fondues. Enfin, le dernier chapitre est consacré à la modélisation thermique du soudage et à la modélisation de la solidification, dans le but de tenter de prédire le type de microstructure de zone fondue formée lors d'une opération de soudage, en fonction des paramètres procédés. Cette modélisation, qui s'appuie sur les résultats d'un essai de soudage instrumenté, doit notamment permettre de prédire si les conditions de soudage, pour une composition d'acier donnée, permettent ou non de former une structure de grains équiaxe en zone fondue des soudures. / The objective of this work is to develop a filler metal and an associated welding procedure allowing to join sheets of steels K44X for the manufacturing of exhaust manifolds for automotive. The properties of the steel K44X having been optimized to answer at best the constraints of the application, the welding conditions will have to, as possible, avoid degrading the characteristics of the steel, in particular in terms of mechanical strength with high temperature, oxidation resistance and in thermal fatigue.This report is divided into four chapters.The first chapter is dedicated to a synthetic presentation of the evolutions in the field of the manufacturing of the automotive exhaust manifolds, and current knowledge in the domains of ferritic stainless steels and its weldability, and in arc welding processes.The second chapter presents the characteristics of the steel K44X and the problem of the study, then described the work of elaboration of the filler metals with various compositions. As well as the results of a preliminary characterization of the welds obtained with the various materials.The chapter 3 is about the characterization of the in-service behavior of the assembly stemming from the previous chapter. The tests of oxidation, hot traction on molten zone of the welds or on complete assemblies, and of thermal fatigue, used to realize this characterization are described, and the associated results are discussed. The end of this chapter is dedicated to the characterization of precipitates formed in the molten zones.Finally, the last chapter is dedicated to the thermal modelling of the welding and to the modelling of the solidification, with the aim of trying to predict the type of microstructure of molten zone formed during a welding operation, according to the process parameters. This modelling, based on the results of a instrumented experimental test of welding, has to allow in particular to predict if the welding conditions, for a given composition of steel, allow or not to form a structure of grains equiaxed in molten zone of the welds.

Magnésio e suas ligas têm adquirido importância cada vez mais significativa como material estrutural de peso leve despertando um singular interesse pela indústria uma vez que oferece a melhor relação peso/resistência entre os metais. Os campos mais conhecidos de sua aplicação consistem na construção de veículos, na aeronáutica, manipulação industrial (robôs, automatização) e tecnologia de comunicação. Em particular, a indústria automobilística tem crescentemente ampliado a utilização de ligas de magnésio na produção de peças que vão desde caixas de câmbio até aros de rodas. As principais razões para este desenvolvimento são: mudanças na legislação ambiental, as exigências de cliente, e objetivos corporativos que requerem veículos mais leves diminuindo o consumo de combustível. O uso do magnésio para aplicações estruturais em altas temperaturas é limitado devido a sua baixa resistência à fluência. Isso se deve ao enfraquecimento do contorno de grão a partir da precipitação descontínua da fase b-Mg17Al12 de baixo ponto de fusão. Dentre as ligas de magnésio desenvolvidas para resistência à fluência, as ligas do sistema Mg-Al-RE-Ca oferecem ótimo desempenho com resultados similares à liga de alumínio ADC12. Muitos trabalhos sobre o sistema de ligas Mg-Al-RE-Ca foram realizados visando compreender a relação entre microestruturas e propriedades mecânicas. Entretanto, poucos estudos relacionaram a influência das variáveis de solidificação na formação das microestruturas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar um estudo em uma liga Mg-4%Al-3%La-1%Ca analisando a influência das variáveis térmicas tais como taxas de resfriamento, velocidade da isoterma liquidus e gradientes de temperatura, na formação de estruturas, na transição colunarequiaxial e espaçamento dendrítico durante o processo de solidificação. A previsão das distintas estruturas, tais como zona colunar e equiaxial é de grande interesse para avaliação e projeção das propriedades mecânicas dos fundidos. Dessa forma, a liga estudada foi submetida à solidificação unidirecional vertical ascendente e análise térmica. Foram realizadas análises metalográficas nos lingotes solidificados. Os resultados colaboram para uma melhor compreensão do fenômeno de solidificação da liga e serve como ferramenta no desenvolvimento de modelos de previsões de formação de micro e macroestruturas que influenciam diretamente nas propriedades mecânicas. / Due to their superior weight/resistance relation, magnesium and its alloys have been acquiring a great deal of importance in the modern industry, specially as lightweight structural materials in the fields of vehicle construction, aeronautics, industrial robotics, automation, and communication technologies. In particular, the automotive industry has been increasingly expanding the use of magnesium alloys in the production of auto-parts, ranging from gearbox housings to steering wheels. The main reasons for this developments are changes in environmental legislations, new customer requirements, and corporate policies regarding fuel consumption and weight/power relations. The use of magnesium alloys for structural applications at high temperatures is limited due to the precipitation of the discontinuous phase b-Mg17Al12, which in fact, weakens the grain boundary during service resulting in a low creep resistance. Among the magnesium alloys developed for creep resistance, the alloys of the system Al-Mg-RE-Ca offer optimum performance with results similar to the ADC12 aluminum alloy. Many studies on the Al-Mg-RE-Ca system alloys were aimed to understand the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties. However, few studies undertake the influence of the solidification variables in the microstructure formation. This work aims to study the influence of some thermal variables such as temperature gradients, solidification and growth tip rate on the formation of microstructures, the columnar/equiaxial transition and dendrite arm spacing, during the solidification process of a Mg-4%Al-3%La- 1%Ca alloy. The prediction of the different structures, such as the columnar and the equiaxial regions is of great interest for the assessment and projection of the mechanical properties of the casts. Therefore, the alloy studied in this work were submitted to thermal analysis during an unidirectional vertical ascending solidification, as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy characterization. The results contribute to a better understanding of the solidification phenomena of the magnesium alloys, as well as a tool in the development of numerical models for the prediction of structures which directly influence the mechanical properties of the parts.

Microstructure refinement was observed in the fusion zone of AZ31 magnesium (Mg) alloy resistance spot welds when an inoculant was added, either Ti, Al8Mn5, or Mn. The dependence of inoculant potency on the lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, and on the liquid cooling rate was studied. Microstructural characterization was performed via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thin foils containing the interface of the inoculant particles and Mg matrix were prepared using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique. Columnar dendritic structures in the vicinity of the fusion boundary and equiaxed dendritic structures in the central area were observed in the fusion zone of welds in the SA and SB AZ31Mg alloys from different suppliers. However, the columnar dendritic zone (CDZ) was well restricted, and the width of the CDZ and the diameters of equiaxed dendrites were much smaller in the SA alloy than those in the SB alloy due to the earlier columnar-equiaxed-transition (CET) in the SA alloy. The refined microstructure in the fusion zone of the SA alloy welds is attributed to the pre-existence of the larger Al8Mn5 particles of 4-10 microns in length in the SA alloy which act as an inoculant for alpha-Mg heterogeneous nucleation. Fatigue life and dislocation substructure were compared between the SA and SB welds. The SA welds with the refined microstructure displayed an enhanced fatigue resistance compared to the SB welds, when the interfacial failure took place across the fusion zone. The increased number and dispersion of slip systems in the fine-grained SA welds contributed to the improvement of fatigue life. The well-developed columnar dendritic grains were successfully restricted and the coarse equiaxed dendritic grains were efficiently refined by intentionally adding Ti or Mn inoculant particles into the as-received SB alloy welds. The Ti and Mn particles of about 8μm diameter were observed to promote the nucleation of alpha-Mg grains during welding. TEM examinations showed the existence of local orientation relationships between the respective inoculants Ti, Mn, and Al8Mn5 with the Mg matrix. The further lattice matching was observed between the Al8Mn5 particles and Mg. The diameter of the added inoculant should be larger than 1.8 microns to make it a potent inoculant based on the thermodynamic calculation. Microstructural examinations of samples with different inoculant additions and under different cooling rates showed that the inoculant potency was high for the Ti inoculant, medium for the Al8Mn5, but low for the Mn, when the cooling rate was low. This order in the decrease of grain refinement efficiency is inversely proportional with the order of crystallographic lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, which is calculated based on a crystallographic matching model. This implies that the lattice disregistry determines the potency of inoculants at the low cooling rates. In comparison, the lattice disregistry did not influence the heterogeneous nucleation, when the cooling rate was high. It could be inferred that an extremely high cooling rate produces a large supercooling, and provides a sufficient driving force for heterogeneous nucleation.

Microstructure refinement was observed in the fusion zone of AZ31 magnesium (Mg) alloy resistance spot welds when an inoculant was added, either Ti, Al8Mn5, or Mn. The dependence of inoculant potency on the lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, and on the liquid cooling rate was studied. Microstructural characterization was performed via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thin foils containing the interface of the inoculant particles and Mg matrix were prepared using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique. Columnar dendritic structures in the vicinity of the fusion boundary and equiaxed dendritic structures in the central area were observed in the fusion zone of welds in the SA and SB AZ31Mg alloys from different suppliers. However, the columnar dendritic zone (CDZ) was well restricted, and the width of the CDZ and the diameters of equiaxed dendrites were much smaller in the SA alloy than those in the SB alloy due to the earlier columnar-equiaxed-transition (CET) in the SA alloy. The refined microstructure in the fusion zone of the SA alloy welds is attributed to the pre-existence of the larger Al8Mn5 particles of 4-10 microns in length in the SA alloy which act as an inoculant for alpha-Mg heterogeneous nucleation. Fatigue life and dislocation substructure were compared between the SA and SB welds. The SA welds with the refined microstructure displayed an enhanced fatigue resistance compared to the SB welds, when the interfacial failure took place across the fusion zone. The increased number and dispersion of slip systems in the fine-grained SA welds contributed to the improvement of fatigue life. The well-developed columnar dendritic grains were successfully restricted and the coarse equiaxed dendritic grains were efficiently refined by intentionally adding Ti or Mn inoculant particles into the as-received SB alloy welds. The Ti and Mn particles of about 8μm diameter were observed to promote the nucleation of alpha-Mg grains during welding. TEM examinations showed the existence of local orientation relationships between the respective inoculants Ti, Mn, and Al8Mn5 with the Mg matrix. The further lattice matching was observed between the Al8Mn5 particles and Mg. The diameter of the added inoculant should be larger than 1.8 microns to make it a potent inoculant based on the thermodynamic calculation. Microstructural examinations of samples with different inoculant additions and under different cooling rates showed that the inoculant potency was high for the Ti inoculant, medium for the Al8Mn5, but low for the Mn, when the cooling rate was low. This order in the decrease of grain refinement efficiency is inversely proportional with the order of crystallographic lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, which is calculated based on a crystallographic matching model. This implies that the lattice disregistry determines the potency of inoculants at the low cooling rates. In comparison, the lattice disregistry did not influence the heterogeneous nucleation, when the cooling rate was high. It could be inferred that an extremely high cooling rate produces a large supercooling, and provides a sufficient driving force for heterogeneous nucleation.

Magnésio e suas ligas têm adquirido importância cada vez mais significativa como material estrutural de peso leve despertando um singular interesse pela indústria uma vez que oferece a melhor relação peso/resistência entre os metais. Os campos mais conhecidos de sua aplicação consistem na construção de veículos, na aeronáutica, manipulação industrial (robôs, automatização) e tecnologia de comunicação. Em particular, a indústria automobilística tem crescentemente ampliado a utilização de ligas de magnésio na produção de peças que vão desde caixas de câmbio até aros de rodas. As principais razões para este desenvolvimento são: mudanças na legislação ambiental, as exigências de cliente, e objetivos corporativos que requerem veículos mais leves diminuindo o consumo de combustível. O uso do magnésio para aplicações estruturais em altas temperaturas é limitado devido a sua baixa resistência à fluência. Isso se deve ao enfraquecimento do contorno de grão a partir da precipitação descontínua da fase b-Mg17Al12 de baixo ponto de fusão. Dentre as ligas de magnésio desenvolvidas para resistência à fluência, as ligas do sistema Mg-Al-RE-Ca oferecem ótimo desempenho com resultados similares à liga de alumínio ADC12. Muitos trabalhos sobre o sistema de ligas Mg-Al-RE-Ca foram realizados visando compreender a relação entre microestruturas e propriedades mecânicas. Entretanto, poucos estudos relacionaram a influência das variáveis de solidificação na formação das microestruturas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar um estudo em uma liga Mg-4%Al-3%La-1%Ca analisando a influência das variáveis térmicas tais como taxas de resfriamento, velocidade da isoterma liquidus e gradientes de temperatura, na formação de estruturas, na transição colunarequiaxial e espaçamento dendrítico durante o processo de solidificação. A previsão das distintas estruturas, tais como zona colunar e equiaxial é de grande interesse para avaliação e projeção das propriedades mecânicas dos fundidos. Dessa forma, a liga estudada foi submetida à solidificação unidirecional vertical ascendente e análise térmica. Foram realizadas análises metalográficas nos lingotes solidificados. Os resultados colaboram para uma melhor compreensão do fenômeno de solidificação da liga e serve como ferramenta no desenvolvimento de modelos de previsões de formação de micro e macroestruturas que influenciam diretamente nas propriedades mecânicas. / Due to their superior weight/resistance relation, magnesium and its alloys have been acquiring a great deal of importance in the modern industry, specially as lightweight structural materials in the fields of vehicle construction, aeronautics, industrial robotics, automation, and communication technologies. In particular, the automotive industry has been increasingly expanding the use of magnesium alloys in the production of auto-parts, ranging from gearbox housings to steering wheels. The main reasons for this developments are changes in environmental legislations, new customer requirements, and corporate policies regarding fuel consumption and weight/power relations. The use of magnesium alloys for structural applications at high temperatures is limited due to the precipitation of the discontinuous phase b-Mg17Al12, which in fact, weakens the grain boundary during service resulting in a low creep resistance. Among the magnesium alloys developed for creep resistance, the alloys of the system Al-Mg-RE-Ca offer optimum performance with results similar to the ADC12 aluminum alloy. Many studies on the Al-Mg-RE-Ca system alloys were aimed to understand the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties. However, few studies undertake the influence of the solidification variables in the microstructure formation. This work aims to study the influence of some thermal variables such as temperature gradients, solidification and growth tip rate on the formation of microstructures, the columnar/equiaxial transition and dendrite arm spacing, during the solidification process of a Mg-4%Al-3%La- 1%Ca alloy. The prediction of the different structures, such as the columnar and the equiaxial regions is of great interest for the assessment and projection of the mechanical properties of the casts. Therefore, the alloy studied in this work were submitted to thermal analysis during an unidirectional vertical ascending solidification, as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy characterization. The results contribute to a better understanding of the solidification phenomena of the magnesium alloys, as well as a tool in the development of numerical models for the prediction of structures which directly influence the mechanical properties of the parts.

Magnésio e suas ligas têm adquirido importância cada vez mais significativa como material estrutural de peso leve despertando um singular interesse pela indústria uma vez que oferece a melhor relação peso/resistência entre os metais. Os campos mais conhecidos de sua aplicação consistem na construção de veículos, na aeronáutica, manipulação industrial (robôs, automatização) e tecnologia de comunicação. Em particular, a indústria automobilística tem crescentemente ampliado a utilização de ligas de magnésio na produção de peças que vão desde caixas de câmbio até aros de rodas. As principais razões para este desenvolvimento são: mudanças na legislação ambiental, as exigências de cliente, e objetivos corporativos que requerem veículos mais leves diminuindo o consumo de combustível. O uso do magnésio para aplicações estruturais em altas temperaturas é limitado devido a sua baixa resistência à fluência. Isso se deve ao enfraquecimento do contorno de grão a partir da precipitação descontínua da fase b-Mg17Al12 de baixo ponto de fusão. Dentre as ligas de magnésio desenvolvidas para resistência à fluência, as ligas do sistema Mg-Al-RE-Ca oferecem ótimo desempenho com resultados similares à liga de alumínio ADC12. Muitos trabalhos sobre o sistema de ligas Mg-Al-RE-Ca foram realizados visando compreender a relação entre microestruturas e propriedades mecânicas. Entretanto, poucos estudos relacionaram a influência das variáveis de solidificação na formação das microestruturas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar um estudo em uma liga Mg-4%Al-3%La-1%Ca analisando a influência das variáveis térmicas tais como taxas de resfriamento, velocidade da isoterma liquidus e gradientes de temperatura, na formação de estruturas, na transição colunarequiaxial e espaçamento dendrítico durante o processo de solidificação. A previsão das distintas estruturas, tais como zona colunar e equiaxial é de grande interesse para avaliação e projeção das propriedades mecânicas dos fundidos. Dessa forma, a liga estudada foi submetida à solidificação unidirecional vertical ascendente e análise térmica. Foram realizadas análises metalográficas nos lingotes solidificados. Os resultados colaboram para uma melhor compreensão do fenômeno de solidificação da liga e serve como ferramenta no desenvolvimento de modelos de previsões de formação de micro e macroestruturas que influenciam diretamente nas propriedades mecânicas. / Due to their superior weight/resistance relation, magnesium and its alloys have been acquiring a great deal of importance in the modern industry, specially as lightweight structural materials in the fields of vehicle construction, aeronautics, industrial robotics, automation, and communication technologies. In particular, the automotive industry has been increasingly expanding the use of magnesium alloys in the production of auto-parts, ranging from gearbox housings to steering wheels. The main reasons for this developments are changes in environmental legislations, new customer requirements, and corporate policies regarding fuel consumption and weight/power relations. The use of magnesium alloys for structural applications at high temperatures is limited due to the precipitation of the discontinuous phase b-Mg17Al12, which in fact, weakens the grain boundary during service resulting in a low creep resistance. Among the magnesium alloys developed for creep resistance, the alloys of the system Al-Mg-RE-Ca offer optimum performance with results similar to the ADC12 aluminum alloy. Many studies on the Al-Mg-RE-Ca system alloys were aimed to understand the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties. However, few studies undertake the influence of the solidification variables in the microstructure formation. This work aims to study the influence of some thermal variables such as temperature gradients, solidification and growth tip rate on the formation of microstructures, the columnar/equiaxial transition and dendrite arm spacing, during the solidification process of a Mg-4%Al-3%La- 1%Ca alloy. The prediction of the different structures, such as the columnar and the equiaxial regions is of great interest for the assessment and projection of the mechanical properties of the casts. Therefore, the alloy studied in this work were submitted to thermal analysis during an unidirectional vertical ascending solidification, as well as optical and scanning electron microscopy characterization. The results contribute to a better understanding of the solidification phenomena of the magnesium alloys, as well as a tool in the development of numerical models for the prediction of structures which directly influence the mechanical properties of the parts.

<p><a>Direct chill (DC) casting is the main production method for wrought aluminum alloys. In this semi-continuous process, significant heat is extracted through a narrow, solidified shell by impinging water jets. A combination of rapid cooling and inoculation of the liquid metal with heterogenous nucleation sites (grain refiner) produces the proper conditions for equiaxed solidification. As equiaxed grains nucleate and grow in the slurry, they are transported by natural convection until their eventual coalescence into a rigid mush. The preferential accumulation of these solute-depleted grains in localized regions of the casting can lead to long range composition differences known as macrosegregation. Because macrosegregation cannot be mitigated by subsequent processing, it is critical to understand and prevent its development during casting. </a></p> <p>Numerical models are often used to gain insight into the interplay of the different transport phenomena that cause macrosegregation. The formation of mobile equiaxed grains creates a multiphase system with many moving interfaces, causing several modeling challenges. In principle, a model could be formulated in terms of local instantaneous variables describing the evolution of these interfaces, however the associated computational cost prohibits its extension to the length scale of industrial castings. For this reason, macroscopic transport equations are mathematically formulated using volume averaging methods. Two different volume-averaged model formulations can be distinguished in the solidification literature. The first approach is the multiphase formulation, which solves separate sets of governing equations for each phase that are coupled using microscale interfacial balances. While this approach retains closure models to describe the behavior of the sub-grid interfaces, these interfacial models introduce significant uncertainty that is propagated through the model. The second approach is the mixture formulation, which solves a single set of governing equations for the mixture and utilizes more pragmatic closure relationships. While this approach significantly reduces the complexity and computational cost of the model, previous formulations have oversimplified the microscale transport. Recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of both formulations, a mixture model is rigorously derived, retaining appropriate relationships for the grain structure and microsegregation behavior in equiaxed solidification </p> <p>Implementation of this model into a 3-D finite volume method (FVM) code using a co-located grid is discussed along with appropriate treatment of the discontinuous body forces and phase mass fluxes across the interface between the slurry and rigid mush. More specifically, body forces in the momentum equation are treated at the face-centers of a control volume to prevent erroneous velocity oscillations near this interface, and a diffuse phase flux method is proposed to reduce the sensitivity of composition predictions to the numerical grid. The proposed methods are verified across a wide range of conditions present in equiaxed solidification. </p> <p>This model is then used to investigate the role of grain motion on macrosegregation development in equiaxed solidification, specifically in horizontal and vertical DC casting. In horizontal DC casting, the casting axis is perpendicular to gravity and there is a tendency for grains to accumulate along the bottom of the ingot. Feeding liquid metal through a constrained inlet near the bottom suspends grains in the slurry, both reducing the overall macrosegregation and improving the macrosegregation symmetry in the ingot. In vertical DC casting, the casting axis is parallel to gravity and there is a tendency for grains to accumulate in the center of the ingot. It is determined by a combination of simulations in the current work and previous experimental results that a strong localized jet at the centerline can suspend grains in the slurry and reduce negative centerline segregation. The change in segregation is attributed to a combination of reducing the accumulation of solute-depleted grains near the centerline and thinning the rigid mush where solidification shrinkage pulls enriched liquid away from the centerline. The strong localized jet also causes significant refinement and homogenization of the grain structure, which improves the mechanical properties of the ingot. These studies indicate that it is beneficial for DC casting practices to move towards agitated or stirred melts, and away from conventional practices which promote thermal stratification and localized accumulation of equiaxed grains.</p>

The aluminium alloys for electrical conductivity applications are generally not grain refinedsince the addition of grain refiners drops the electrical conductivity by introducing impuritiesinto the melt. Non-grain refined aluminium may lead to bar fracture and cracks during themetalworking process. The present study focuses to find an optimum balance between the grain refiner addition andthe electrical conductivity of commercial EC grade 1070 aluminium alloy for electricalapplication. In order to reach this goal, the electrical conductivity and the macrostructure ofcommercial EC grade 1070 aluminium (commercial pure aluminium) have been studiedunder a series of controlled lab scale trails. Specific addition levels of different grain refiners(TiBloy, Al-5Ti-1B, Al-3Ti-0.15C, and Al-3Ti-1B) were added to the metal melt and sampleswere taken at specific time intervals. The collected samples were sectioned, ground andmacro-etched. Thereafter, the macrostructure was analysed by the use of a digital camera andthe electrical conductivity was measured at temperature. The obtained result was expressed asa percentage of the International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS %). The macro-structuralanalysis showed that TiBloy, Al-5Ti-1B, and Al-3Ti-1B, with the maximum addition level of0.1%, cannot grin refine commercial pure aluminium. However, at higher grain refiner levelsthe number of columnar grains increased and their size decreased. The Al-3Ti-0.15C master alloy, with the same addition level as the once chosen for the othergrain refiners (up to 0.1%), showed significantly better grain refining. By the addition of0.1% of this grain refiner the macrostructure became very equiaxed already after 30 minutesof grain refiner addition. The fading of the Al-3Ti-0.15 master alloy was, however, observedfor samples with a long holding time. Nevertheless, by maximum addition level (0.1%) and a90 minutes holding time the macrostructure remained as equiaxed grains. The electrical conductivity results showed that none of the applied grain refiners (TiBloy, Al-5Ti-1B, Al-3Ti-0.15C, and Al-3Ti-1B), with the maximum addition level of 0.1%, decreasedthe electrical conductivity of commercial pure aluminium.