Abstract
Abstract Boron treatment is a refining process that has historically been employed to improve the conductivity of 1xxx aluminum alloys by removing peritectic-forming elements (Ti, Zr, V, or Cr) in solution. However, in multicomponent alloys such as 6082 alloy, optimizing conductivity by boron treatment, while preserving other desired properties like strength or corrosion resistance that arise from Mn or Cr additions, presents a more complex scenario. This study addresses this challenge by investigating the kinetics of boron treatment in the 6082 alloy and the Al-B-Mn ternary system by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), providing a unique opportunity to measure directly the composition of the molten alloy over time, enabling real-time mapping of the Mn, Cr, Ti, or V removal and their corresponding timescales after Al-B master alloy additions. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential to manufacture the 6082 alloy with optimized conductivity, as Al-B additions selectively removed peritectic-forming elements (V, Ti, and Cr) while retaining Mn, which is essential for strength and corrosion resistance.