Effect of Wax Composition on Injection Moulding of 304L Stainless Steel Powder

Abstract

Abstract The effect of waxes on the injection moulding of a304L stainless steel powder—low density polyethylene(LDPE) system is examined. Four waxes, namely paraffin wax (PW), polyethylene wax (PEW), carnaubawax (CW), and acrawax (AW) were selected and compared. The results indicate that some LPDE molecules were found to be separated and aggregated in mixtures containing AW, CW, or PW. One of the keys to the successful production of PIM parts is the selection of suitable binder mixtures. AW–LDPE and CW–LDPE mixtures appear to exhibit higher viscosity and better pseudoplasticity than PW–LDPEand PEW–LDPE mixtures. Burrs have been found to appear in green parts of PW and PEW containing mixtures. Tensile bar test pieces from specimens containing all the experimental wax mixtures, after de binding and sintering, show a good surface appearance. Specimens based on the PW–LDPE mixture exhibit the highest tensile strength in the resulting sintered parts, followed by those based on the CW–LDPE, AW–LDPE, and PEW–LDP...