ABSTRACT
The tenacious film of oxide that forms on aluminium bronze is mainly responsible for its excellent corrosion resistance. In common with other metals, as liquid aluminium bronze reaches its solidification temperature, tiny crystalline particles, known as 'nuclei', begin to form adjacent to the mould face where the metal has cooled most rapidly. In the molten state, aluminium bronze consists of a substantially uniform solution of its alloying elements in each other. Molten aluminium bronze has a great affinity for hydrogen which it may absorb from dampness in the atmosphere or, more markedly, from the combustion gasses of oil or gas-fired furnaces. The more complex the shape of the casting, the greater the need for consultation with the experienced aluminium bronze founder, if a pattern of directional solidification is to be achieved throughout the casting. The presence of its surface film of aluminium oxide partly restricts the fluidity of molten aluminium bronze.
