Eco-Friendly Inorganic Binders: A Key Alternative for Reducing Harmful Emissions in Molding and Core-Making Technologies

Abstract

Many years of foundry practice and much more accurate analytical methods have shown that sands with organic binders, in addition to their many technological advantages, pose risks associated with the emission of many compounds, including harmful ones (e.g., formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and sulfur), arising during the pouring of liquid casting alloys into molds, their cooling, and knock-out. The aim of this research is to demonstrate the potential benefits of adopting inorganic binders in European iron foundries. This will improve the environmental and working conditions by introducing cleaner and more ecological production methods, while also ranking the tested binders studied in terms of their harmful content. The article pays special attention to the analysis of seven innovative inorganic binders and one organic binder, acting as a reference for emissions of gases from the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) groups and other compounds such as phenol, formaldehyde, and isocyanates (MDI and TDI) generated during the mold pouring process with liquid metals. The knowledge gained will, for the first time, enrich the database needed to update the Reference Document on The Best Available Techniques for the Smitheries and Foundries Industry (SF BREF).