Inoculants

For many years, Elkem’s flagship inoculant has been the world famous Superseed® inoculant, probably still the most widely used inoculant in the production of grey irons

Today we have a range of inoculants designed to cover a wide range of applications

  • Alinoc® inoculant is designed to promote ferrite in ductile irons and at the same time provide a high nodule count and minimised carbides.
  • Barinoc® inoculant  is a good general purpose inoculant and has found wide applications in the inoculation of low sulphur grey irons and as a first stage inoculant in ductile iron.
  • Elcast® inserts are used in the production of large ductile iron castings, mainly, but not exclusively, in the wind energy sector.
  • Foundrisil® inoculant can be used successfully in grey and ductile irons as ladle or stream inoculant.
  • Reseed® inoculant is a powerful inoculant widely used in the inoculation of low nucleation ductile irons, such as those made with pure magnesium or wires.
  • SMZ® inoculant. One of the oldest inoculants in the book and still widely used as a stream inoculant and as a ladle inoculant in low pouring temperature irons.
  • Superseed® inoculant is still the most widely used inoculant in the treatment of grey irons. It’s powerful chill removal properties means lower application rates and this leads to a reduction in shrinkage tendency. Superseed® inoculant is available in a 50% silicon version to give more penetration into the metal stream and is used at low pouring temperatures.
  • Superseed® Extra inoculant can be used in grey irons of lower sulphur level. It gives a much more refined and even graphite flake size, thus aiding machinability.
  • Ultraseed® Ce inoculant was developed based on fundamental research into the nucleation mechanism of ductile iron. The unique and patented coating adds vital elements for nucleation in exactly the right place and at the right time. A mightily powerful inoculants
  • Ultraseed® Zr inoculant . This is a rare earth free version of the Ultraseed®  Ce inoculant  and finds application where Re has to be limited, thick section ductile iron for example, although excellent casting properties are obtained in thinner sections.
  • Vaxon® inoculant. General purpose inoculants for use on all irons. Balanced asditions of the essential acive elements calcium and aluminium ensure consistency in performance and good casting properties.
  • Zircinoc® inoculant . Good all round inoculant which shows powerful inoculating characteristics on grey and ductile irons. Widely used.

General information about inoculants

Through the correct inoculation of cast irons the formation of chill can be prevented and gas related porosity and shrinkage to a great extent controlled and minimized.

Inoculants are FeSi based alloys which contain carefully balanced amounts of active elements designed to control the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast irons. These are produced both at the Bremanger plant on the west coast of Norway and in Chicoutimi, Canada.

Elkem high quality inoculants are specially designed to serve most aspects of grey, compacted and ductile iron production, with defined contents of active elements such as

  • Aluminium
  • Barium
  • Calcium
  • Cerium
  • Sulphur & Oxygen
  • Strontium
  • Zirconium 

For further information on Elkems range of inoculants, please contact us