Preparation of Aluminum-Zirconium Master Alloy by Aluminothermic Reduction in Cryolite Melt

Al-Zr master alloy was prepared by aluminothermic reduction in cryolite melt without alumina impurity. The Al-Zr master alloy was characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The composition of the master alloy was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The results indicated that Al-Zr master alloy with high purity could be obtained when byproduct Al2O3 was dissolved in the cryolite melt. The Al-Zr alloy was embedded in the Al matrix in the form of Al3Zr phase with long rod or tetragonal morphology due to temperature variation. Finally, we obtained Al-Zr alloy with 7 wt.% Zr by aluminothermic reduction for 90 min in cryolite melt at 980A degrees C.