Efeito do processamento em misturas de alumina/ligantes orgânicos usadas na moldagem por injeção em baixa pressão

Abstract

The low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) is a technique already being used in the production of ceramic parts with complex shapes and geometries. The homogeneity of the mixture of organic binder and ceramic powder is a determining factor which must be controlled to minimize defects formation while feedstock processing to LPIM. Typical defects of LPIM processing, such as air bubbles and agglomerates, generate density gradients in the mixtures, which, after shaping, have little possibility of removal. These imperfections compromise the performance of the products obtained by this technique. This work is focused on the evaluation of these inhomogeneities and how they can be correlated with density variation and the rheological behavior of these mixtures. Therefore, submicrometer aluminas, as received and deagglomerated, were added to a molten mixture of paraffi n based binders, waxes and additives and processed in two different mixers, with and without vacuum. The presence of alumina agglomerates was observed in the powder as received, possibly generated during the calcination step. It was also observed that the type of mixer and vacuum application or not during the fi nal processing step, has a major influence on the mixing time required to reduce the viscosity of the feedstock for injection.