Boride Inoculation of Nickel Gear Bronze

CuSn12Ni nickel tin bronze is a common material used for heavy machinery wear components which is regularly required to have a low maximum grain size. Inoculation with zirconium has traditionally been used to achieve the required grain refinement, but its high cost has led to the investigation of cheaper alternatives. This study explores the use of boron as an inoculant for grain refinement in continuous cast CuSn12Ni. Microstructural analysis reveals the formation of nickel boride particles within the microstructure, which contribute to the observed grain refinement. The results suggest that boron can provide comparable grain refinement to zirconium and may be a viable alternative for industrial applications.