Studies of mechanical and technological parameters and evaluation of the role of lustrous carbon carriers in green moulding sands with hybrid bentonite

Abstract

Green moulding sands containing special carbonaceous additives, which are the source of lustrous carbon (LC), are discussed in this paper. Five potential lustrous carbon carriers, i.e., two types of hard coal dust (No.1 and No.2), amorphous graphite (No.3) and two hydrocarbon resins (No.4 and No.5), were selected for tests as carbonaceous additives to conventional moulding sands. To better emphasize the differences in the additives used, reference green moulding sand (GMS1) was prepared and subjected to a wide range of basic tests focussed on technological parameters, such as permeability (Pw), friability (Fw), Dietert mouldability test (PD) and compactability (Z) and mechanical parameters, such as compressive strength (Rcw), tensile strength (Rmw), strength in the transformation zone (Rkw). The proposed comprehensive spectrum of tests was repeated on sands with five carbonaceous additives. The most important for the use of additives as carbon carriers was to interrelate the content of lustrous carbon (LC), loss on ignition (LOI) and the obtained results of mechanical and technological tests carried out on conventional moulding sands with the surface quality of iron castings. For this purpose, a series of iron castings was made in the prepared moulding sands and used for the assessment of surface quality based on a number of roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, Rp, Rq, Rv, Rlr, RSm). As a result of the studies it was found that the carbonaceous additives proposed for use help to obtain high-quality surfaces in iron castings.