Acceleration of the Formation on the Sodium Silicate Binder in Investment Casting

Abstract

For cost reduction of the molds manufacturing, as well as environmental load in foundries sodium silicate binder is often used. However, without treatment with special compositions that accelerate curing and improve their properties, sodium silicate molds have insufficient thermal spalling resistance and often cause the rejection of castings made of heat-resistant alloys. As a result of the research, there was developed a technology of chemical drying of the sodium silicate cover layers in investment casting with the use of aluminoborbophosphate concentrate. It allows to reduce the production time of ceramic molds by 2...3 times, as well as to increase their strength either before baking or after it by 20...25 %. At the same time, as a result of softening effect of aluminoborbophosphate concentrate after baking and cooling of the specimens there has been observed a significant reduction of their retained strength and, as a consequence, better knockout of fire-resistant shells. Industrial tests of the sodium silicate cover chemical drying showed a significant reduction of the investment castings rejection due to the insufficient thermal spalling resistance and the reduction of the cleaning processing time of casting made of heat-resistant alloys.