Advantages and limitations of using nano sized powders for powder injection molding process: A review

Abstract

Powder injection molding (PIM) is among the most known forming techniques that use material powders. This technique has been widely evaluated for the production of large scale and small components using metal and ceramic powders. Nano particles have larger surface-to-volume ratio compared with large-sized particles, thus they display high surface area. Some merits in the application of nano-sized particles in the PIM process includes increasing its comparative density at a low sintering temperature, decreasing sintering temperature, decreasing grain size of sintered bodies, increasing hardness value, and improving surface properties. However, it also has several disadvantages, which include increasing the viscosity behaviour of feedstock, oxidation, and agglomeration. This article reviews current studies on the effects of nano-sized particles on the PIM process and finding solutions to address its disadvantages. © 2012 Penerbit UTM Press.