MET MET MET MET METAL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING AL CASTING 
Project Fact Sheet 
GRAIN REFINEMENT OF PERMANENT MOLD CAST 
BENEFITS 
APPLICATIONS 
COPPER-BASE ALLOYS 
There are a number of benefits resulting from 
this project: 
• Grain refinement will result in higher 
casting yield in foundries. 
• Thermal analysis technique will serve 
as a quality control tool in evaluating the 
cleanliness of melts before commencing 
with casting operations. This will 
reduce overall scrap rates. 
• Near net-shape components could be 
produced by permanent mold casting 
thus reducing machining and finishing 
costs. 
• The maximum allowable limits for 
elemental impurities determined from 
this project could be used in standards 
to ensure premium quality castings free 
of hard spots. 
The results of this project will also enable 
increased production of plumbing castings 
by way of permanent mold castings versus 
sand castings. This will help address the 
restrictions on lead in drinking water as well 
as foundry sand contamination issues. 
In place of energy-intensive sand casting, 
the permanent mold casting process is a 
better alternative to produce plumbing 
components. Grain refinement of copper 
base alloys also improves the casting 
characteristics of permanent mold castings. 
GRAIN REFINEMENT WILL REDUCE HOT TEARING WHILE INCREASBase 
Alloy Grain Refined Alloy 
ING CASTING FLUIDITY AND PRESSURE TIGHTNESS 
Grain refinement is a well-established process for many cast alloys, especially 
aluminum, resulting in enhanced casting characteristics and improved mechanical 
properties. Grain refinement of copper-base alloys in permanent mold casting 
process is fairly new and is aimed at improving the hot tearing resistance. 
Preliminary research has shown that the mechanism of grain refinement in 
copper-base alloys is not well understood. This lack of understanding extends to 
the interaction between the grain refiner and minor elements present in copper 
alloys, such as Sn, Al, Bi, Se, and Pb. The evaluation of nuclei formation which 
causes the grain refinement in copper alloys is also necessary. 
The Copper Development Association and industry partners will conduct a series 
of research tasks to understand grain refinement behavior of permanent mold 
copper-base alloys. This will increase casting fluidity, reduce hot tearing, and 
increase pressure tightness. This will in turn result in higher casting yield in 
foundries. The project will greatly improve the ability to produce components for 
plumbing and other applications while responding to environmental issues 
surrounding lead in plumbing components and foundry sand. 
BASE ALLOY AND GRAIN REFINED ALLOY 
Macrostructures of yellow brass refined by boron, 5x. 
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Showcase Description 
Goal: The goal of this project is to evaluate the grain refinement characteristics of 
four permanent mold cast copper-base alloys, namely SeBiLOY III (C89550), yellow 
brass (C85800), silicon brass (C87500) and silicon bronze (C87600). This 
evaluation will serve as a means for improving hot tearing resistance in these alloys. 
Progress and Milestones 
This three year project was awarded in August 2000. Planned activities include: 
• Grain Refinement – The grain refinement behavior of lead-free SeBiloy III, leaded 
yellow brass, silicon brass and silicon bronze will be evaluated. Different grain refiners 
will be added to evaluate the effectiveness of the additions. The loss of grain refinement 
(fading) during holding, remelting and change mixing will be studied for 
yellow brass, silicon brass, and silicon bronze. 
• Hard Spot Formation – The effect of impurity elements and grain refiners on the formation 
of hard spots will be evaluated. A thermal analysis technique will be developed 
as a quality control tool to predict and identify grain refinement and hard spot 
precipitation. The nuclei present and the hard spots in the grain-refined alloys will 
be analyzed using optical and electron microscopes. 
• Corrosion Behavior – The corrosion behavior of the grain-refined alloys will be 
evaluated in different city water conditions using potentiodynamic polarization and 
weight loss techniques. 
PROJECT PARTNERS 
Copper Development Assn., New York, NY 
Materials Technology Laboratory (CANMET) 
Ottawa, Ontario 
American Foundry Society, Des Plaines, IL 
A.B. Chance, Centralia, MO 
Brass and Bronze Ingot Manufacturers, 
Chicago, IL 
Brost Foundry, Cleveland, OH 
H. Kramer & Co., Chicago, IL 
IMR USA, Sheboygan, WI 
International Copper Association, New York, NY 
Kirit Dave (Consultant), Naperville, IL 
Kohler, Kohler, WI 
L. Fazekas & Models, Brantford, Ontario 
PIAD Precision Casting, Greensburg, PA 
R. Lavin & Sons, Chicago, IL 
Sloan Valve, Augusta, AR 
Starline Manufacturing, Milwaukee, WI 
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, 
PLEASE CONTACT: 
Harvey Wong 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Phone: (202) 586-9235 
Fax: (202) 586-6507 
Harvey.Wong@ee.doe.gov 
http://www.oit.doe.gov/IOF/metalcast/ 
Please send any comments, 
questions, or suggestions to 
webmaster.oit@ee.doe.gov. 
Visit our home page at 
www.oit.doe.gov 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy 
U.S. Department of Energy 
Washington, D.C. 20585 
December 2000