Direct chill casting of aluminum-lithium alloys under salt cover

Abstract

Casting aluminum-lithium based alloys under a salt cover involves forming a molten aluminum-lithium alloy, transferring the molten aluminum-lithium alloy to a casting station, and direct chill casting the aluminum-lithium alloy, wherein a protective molten salt cover comprising a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride is maintained over the aluminum-lithium alloy during the casting process. Formation of the molten aluminum-lithium alloy includes alloying of lithium with aluminum by adding lithium to the salt-covered molten aluminum in a melting vessel. The molten salt may be added to the ingot head during casting. A preferred salt mixture includes 35 to 90 mole % LiCl and 10 to 65 mole % KCl.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.