Properties Of Powders Research Articles

Statistical approach for the preparation of silicon-graphite anodes: The role of oxygen content and crystallite size on electrochemical performance

Increasing the overall performance of Si-based anodes is still challenging because of the influence of various parameters involved in the preparation processes. This study addresses this challenge by employing the design of experiment technique to assess the impact of ball milling parameters such as milling speed, time, ball to powder and medium to powder ratio on the properties of silicon/graphite (Si/Gr) powders, with a focus on their electrochemical performance. Si/Gr powders in 20:80 weight ratio and 4 factor - 2 level full factorial design were used to find the main effects and interactions. Crystallite sizes were calculated using the Scherrer equation, and span values were obtained from the particle size distribution (PSD) analysis. SEM analyses were carried out to check the microstructure of powders. Ultimately, regression equations were created with high adjusted R2 values for crystallite size (93%), contamination (92%), and span (91%), respectively. Optimization experiments were carried out using the created regression equations, and the models were verified. It was found that crystallite size obtained by XRD data is more reliable to assess powder properties on the performance instead of PSD because of the agglomeration at the particle level throughout the milling. Further milling experiments were performed to elaborate the role of oxygen content and crystallite size. Results showed that while initial capacity is strongly related to total oxygen content, decay in the first cycles is correlated to the crystallite size of the silicon powder.

Evaluating bio-physicochemical properties of raw powder prepared from whole larvae containing liquid silk of the domestic silkworm.

The domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been widely used in silk production for centuries. It is also used as a bioreactor by the textile and pharmaceutical industries to mass produce recombinant bioactive proteins containing silk-based materials. Furthermore, silkworms are well-known as a source of food and have also been orally administered to prevent and treat several human disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inherent bio-physicochemical properties of edible silkworms to accurately evaluate their clinical and nutritional potential. We prepared raw powder from whole larvae of silkworm. The yield rate of the powder derived from dried larvae was almost 100% (98.1-99.1% in replicates). As "percentage yield" translates to "Budomari" in Japanese, this raw powder was named "B100rw." We further prepared B100dn that was denatured through autoclaving. Thereafter, we examined whether B100rw sustained the original bio-physicochemical properties by comparing it with B100dn. There was no significant difference in nutritional content between B100rw and B100dn. B100rw contained proteins derived from silkworm larvae and mulberry leaves, whereas the proteins of B100dn were mostly degraded. On measuring the enzymatic activity of both powders using trehalase as an indicator enzyme, B100rw was found to maintain trehalase activity. B100rw also maintained a random coil conformation, similar to that of liquid silk. This suggested that B100rw sustained the unique bio-physicochemical properties of living larvae. These findings may facilitate the development of novel food products or orally administered vaccines.

Characteristics of freeze‐dried white cheese powder and utilisation in bread formulation

SummaryFreeze‐dried white cheese powder was produced using WPI (Whey protein isolate) and CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) and applied in bread production. The optimal formulation ratio of WPI and CMC in freeze‐dried white cheese powder was determined as 5% and 1% (w/w) based on powder properties. Quality characteristics of bread were examined by replacement of white flour with white cheese powder at 10%, 15% and 20%. The addition of CMC provided a significant increase in centrifugal stability (97.18%) and kinetic stability (97.25%) of white cheese emulsions. In powders, CMC reduced water activity, potentially contributing to quality preservation during shelf‐life. The powder with CMC indicated a lighter colour and incorporating the powder into bread formulations resulted in lower L* values and higher a* values compared to the control bread. Texture properties of bread were significantly affected by amount of the powder. The study indicated that white cheeses approaching expiration date can be used in the food industry by converting them into a value‐added product, white cheese powder, using the freeze‐drying technique.

Mussel-inspired poly-norepinephrine coatings as “slippy-sticky interlayer” for fabricating high-energy insensitive energetic composites

Inspired by the super-adhesive properties in marine mussel, a desensitized energetic powder constituted of a slippy-sticky polynorepinephrine interlayer and CL-20 microcore is reported. The slow polymerization process enables the extremely smooth and multifunctional thin-coating formed onto the CL-20 surface. Based on the designed composites, the calculated electronic energy values of all 15 optimized structures reveals a spontaneous thermodynamic process and a stronger bonding strength with the increase of polymerization degree. The H50values of NE/CL-20 structure are calculated and show a significant increase for new composite, produced by the bonding of norepinephrine with CL-20, versus pure CL-20. The subsequent experimental results demonstrate that the slippy CL-20@polynorepinephrine structure exhibits a high drop height (H50, 35.5 cm) and a low explosion probability (60 %) than that of pure CL-20, even exhibits a considerable increase and decreases by 13.3 cm and 12 % in turn versus CL-20@polydopamine under the identical experimental conditions. The sensitive simulation results indicate that the shorter NN bond length and lower area percent in electrostatic potential of samples are positively correlated with the decreasing of impact sensitivity. Note that the ultrasmooth bionic interlayer gives the super-adhesive properties of energetic powder, greatly improves the coating degree of 2D material, thereby shows a lower sensitivity and a high detonation heat for the constructed double-coating composites (CL-20@PNE@GO). To sum up, this study will provide an innovative route to construct a high-safety powder based on a bionic sticky interlayer strategy.

INVESTIGATION OF THE BENDING BEHAVIOR OF INC625/SUS316L LASER-CLADDING LAYERS APPLIED TO GGG40

Laser cladding is a multi-purpose thermal coating technology whose application area has increased rapidly in recent years. It can be used for the purposes of obtaining a thick (mm to cm) layer on surfaces by the interaction of different materials in powder form (especially metallic and metal-matrix composite) with the laser beam, thus repairing, restoring, improving and protecting the surface resistance of various industrial metallic parts. It is normally used to refurbishment, create and repair metallic components, hydraulic mills, gears, shafts, turbine blades, drilling tools, and other static or dynamically loaded mechanical parts. The benefits of laser cladding over alternative technologies include better metallurgy (bonding, hardness or lower porosity) as well as reduced part deformation and stress due to lower overall heat input. The melting of substrate material ensures a good metallurgical bond between the cladding layer and the substrate material. However, the melting of the substrate material causes dilution. Therefore, the melting of the substrate material should be controlled and kept to a minimum because high substrate melting causes an increase in the dilution, which may degrade the mechanical and corrosion properties of the clad layer. The laser beam over the substrate materials creates temperature gradients in the thickness direction that can lead to mechanical deformation (such as bending) and changes in the microstructural and interface properties. Depending on the substrate type and production history, as well as the laser-clad powder properties and process parameters (power, feed rate, clad speed etc.) used in the application, the deformation properties of the cladded part and its bending behavior can change. In this study, INC625 and SUS 316L+INC625 clad layers were applied on a GGG40 substrate with optimized parameters and then subjected to bending tests. Bending-test results were examined comparatively and their microstructural properties were examined. Cladding powder feedstock material properties, substrate type and its thermo-physical properties, clad process parameters and surface preparation conditions, number and thickness of layers are the most important factors affecting the bending behaviour in laser-cladding applications and require optimization studies. The INC625 clad layer on the SUS316L bond layer has reduced the diffusional effects, and the hardness distribution has a more homogeneous profile. In this way, an increase in bending angles was observed. The highest bending angle of 32° was measured with dublex-clad layered samples.

Characterization of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode material synthesized via co-precipitation method

Abstract LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode material was synthesized using the co-precipitation method, and the effect of synthesis conditions on powder properties was studied. The results indicate that adjusting the pH value and complexing agent concentration during the reaction process can effectively control the precipitation process. The obtained hydroxide precursor is petallike, and the morphology of the cathode material powder after high-temperature sintering is well-dispersed spherical particles. The changes in the sintering system can significantly affect the crystallization process and crystal structure of cathode materials. As the sintering temperature increases, the peak rate I (003)/I (104) significantly decreases, while the R value increases. With the prolongation of sintering time, I (003)/I (104) first increases and then decreases, and the R value first decreases and then increases. After sintering at 750°C × 12 h, the cathode material has the highest peak rate and the lowest R value, indicating the lowest degree of cation mixing, higher structural integrity and the highest electrochemical activity at this time.

Correlation between phase composition and physicochemical properties in Cu-, Mo-, and W- doped bismuth vanadate

We report a detailed study about the correlation between the physicochemical properties of solvothermally synthesized pristine and 1 %, 2.5 %, and 5 % Cu, Mo, and W-doped bismuth vanadate (BiVO4, BVO) with its phase composition. The effect of the dopant and the duration of synthesis (8 h and 20 h) on the physicochemical properties of BVO allowed us to tune the ratio of monoclinic scheelite to tetragonal zircon phase in BVO powders. This approach helped us to establish the relationship between the presence of monoclinic scheelite or tetragonal zircon phase with structural, morphological and optical properties of BVO powders, obtained by different physicochemical methods (e.g. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL)). The results indicated that, in addition to XRD, Raman, and DRS, several other methods could distinguish between the two phases. For example, SEM analysis revealed that monoclinic scheelite BVO exhibits either elongated assemblies of cube-like particles or prismatic particles with sizes ∼500 nm. In contrast, tetragonal zircon BVO exclusively exhibited porous spherical particles with diameter ∼2 μm. DRS and Raman spectroscopy indicated that there is a possibility of distinguishing between the two phases if their shares are large enough. For instance, monoclinic BVO showed band gap values in the range of 2.35–2.52 eV, while tetragonal zircon BVO exhibited values in the range of 2.80–3.00 eV. XPS showed a correlation between phase composition and surface chemistry of BVO only for Cu-doped samples, revealing the presence of Cu+ in monoclinic BVO and the presence of both Cu+ and Cu2+ in tetragonal zircon BVO. PL showed that monoclinic scheelite BVO displayed decreased charge recombination compared to tetragonal zircon BVO. Deeper insight into the correlation between the physicochemical properties and phase composition of Cu, Mo, and W-doped bismuth vanadate (BiVO4, BVO) was based on water/pentanol medium (2:1 vol%) as a novel synthesis pathway. This may open new avenues for the broader methodological exploration of surface chemistry, particle size, and morphology of BVO particles through the use of diverse functionalization agents. Finally, the established links between phase composition and structural, morphological, and other physicochemical properties provide new and more predictable opportunities for further improvement of BVO properties for various applications.

Effect of Electron Irradiation on the Optical Properties of Zinc Oxide Powder Modified with Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles

Effect of Electron Irradiation on the Optical Properties of Zinc Oxide Powder Modified with Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles

Properties of Nanocrystalline Magnetic Powders of the Fe–O system Obtained from Iron Ore Dust Using Magnetic Pulse Processing

Properties of Nanocrystalline Magnetic Powders of the Fe–O system Obtained from Iron Ore Dust Using Magnetic Pulse Processing

Effect of dopant loading and calcination conditions on structural and optical properties of ZrO2 nanopowders doped with copper and yttrium

Undoped, Cu and/or Y doped ZrO2 nanopowders were synthesized with Zr, Y, and Cu nitrates using a co-precipitation approach. Their structural and optical properties were examined regarding dopant content (0.1–8.0 mol.% of CuO and 3–15 mol.% of Y2O3) and calcination conditions (400 °C–1000 °C and, 1,2 or 5 h) through Raman scattering, XRD, TEM, EDS, AES, EPR, UV–vis and FTIR diffused reflectance methods. The results showed that both Cu and Y dopants promoted the appearance of additional oxygen vacancies in ZrO2 host, while the formation of tetragonal and cubic ZrO2 phases was primarily influenced by the Y content, regardless of Cu loading. The bandgap of most of the powders was observed within the 5.45–5.65 eV spectral range, while for those with high Y content it exceeded 5.8 eV. The (Cu,Y)-ZrO2 powders with 0.2 mol.% CuO and 3 mol.% Y2O3 calcined at 600 °C for 2 h demonstrated nanoscaled tetragonal grains (8–12 nm) and a significant surface area covered with dispersed CuxO species. For higher calcination temperatures, the formation of CuZr 2+ EPR centers, accompanied by tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation, was found. For fitting of experimental FTIR reflection spectra, theoretical models with one, five, and seven oscillators were constructed for cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic ZrO2 phases, respectively. Comparing experimental and theoretical spectra, the parameters of various phonons were determined. It was found that the distinct position of the high-frequency FTIR reflection minimum is a unique feature for each crystalline phase. It was centered at 700–720 cm−1, 790–800 cm−1, and 820–840 cm−1 for cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases, respectively, showing minimal dependence on phonon damping coefficients. Based on the complementary nature of results obtained from structural and optical methods, an approach for monitoring powder properties and predicting catalytic activity can be proposed for ZrO2–based nanopowders.

Effects of Misalignment of c-axis on the Properties of Hydrogenation-Disproportionation-Desorption-Recombination Particles.

Hydrogenation-Disproportionation-Desorption-Recombination (HDDR) Nd2Fe14B particles have excellent magnetic properties, but the magnetic properties of powder are not uniform across different particle sizes. The remanence and maximum magnetic energy products of samples with a particle size of 120 μm are 14.0 kGs and 41.35 MGOe, while the products of samples with a particle size of 60 μm are only 13.3 kGs and 36.31 MGOe. The macroscopic morphology of HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles and the gradient distribution of microstructures in different micro-regions were observed. By modifying the macroscopic morphology of the particles, the poorly oriented clusters on the surface of the particles were precisely eliminated, and the remanence and maximum magnetic energy products of the particles increased to 14.5 kGs and 45 MGOe, respectively. Compared with the original particles, the samples after mechanical grinding had better grain arrangement. The effects of the nanocrystalline c-axis and field misalignment angle θ on the magnetic properties of HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles were investigated through micromagnetic simulation. The targeted removal of macroscopic defects on the particle surface contributed to a 3.6% increase in remanence and an 8.8% increase in the maximum magnetic energy product, offering a promising approach to enhance the microstructure of high-performance HDDR Nd2Fe14B particles.

Synthesis and characterization of Nb5+ and Sm3+-doped 13–93 bioactive glass particles with improved photon transmission properties for advanced biomedical and dental applications

Bioactive glasses are renowned for their applications in dentistry, serving as restorative materials, dental adhesives, intracanal medicaments, and agents for enamel remineralization. Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) is employed in dental adhesive resins and orthodontic adhesives, offering radio-pacifying properties essential for dental materials. Samarium oxide (Sm2O3) emerges as a potential additive in aesthetic restorative dental ceramics and resins, enhancing the natural fluorescence of teeth. In this study Nb2O5 and Sm2O3-doped (1, 3, and 5 wt%) 13–93 bioactive glass particles were synthesized via the sol-gel method, tailored for dental implementations. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the physical, structural, and optical properties of the resultant glass powders. Additionally, their in vitro bioactivity and ionizing radiation shielding characteristics were rigorously evaluated. The results indicate that Sm3+ ions preserve the amorphous nature of the silicate glasses, while Nb5+ incorporation leads to the crystallization of the T-Nb2O5 phase. Bioactivity assays across three physiological fluids—simulated body fluid, α-minimum essential medium, and phosphate-buffered saline, demonstrated the ability of doped glasses to facilitate hydroxyapatite layer formation, with the most pronounced bioactivity observed in phosphate-buffered saline immersed samples. Furthermore, radiation shielding simulations reveal that the addition of Nb2O5 and Sm2O3 enhances the ionizing radiation attenuation capabilities of the glasses, a property that holds significant promise for protecting against radiation in dental radiology. It can be concluded that the dual functionality of Nb5+ and Sm3+-doped bioactive glasses, which may revolutionize restorative dental practices and offer improved protection in radiological applications.

Sweet flow: Exploring the flowability, caking, morphology, and solubility of date sugars as promising sugar substitutes

This study investigates the impact of sugar content on the physicochemical properties of oven-dried dates powder from four distinct cultivars—Ajwa, Safawi, Sukkary, and Medjool. The drying process reduced moisture content by approximately 55% (Ajwa), 58% (Safawi), 76% (Sukkary), and 60% (Medjool). Quantification of sugars using High Performance Liquid Chromatography equipped with refractive index detector (HPLC-RI) revealed varying sugar compositions, with Ajwa, Safawi, and Sukkary containing a mix of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose, while Medjool lacked lactose. Sukkary date powder exhibited superior flowability properties due to lower sugar and moisture content, meeting industry standards, although it displayed a higher tendency to cake compared to white and coconut sugars. Other physicochemical characterisation (pH, colour properties L*(lightness), a*(redness/greenness), b* (blueness/yellowness) values, hygroscopicity, solubility, morphology and chemical structure of all date sugar were also explored in comparison with commercial sugars (white sugar and, brown sugar and coconut sugar) as controls. Notably, Sukkary date powder emerged as a promising cultivar for production, offering reduced clumpiness and stickiness in comparison to Ajwa, Safawi, and Medjool date powders. These findings provide valuable insights for food manufacturers, formulators, and researchers interested in using Sukkary date powder in various foods. The potential use of Sukkary as a sugar substitute or carbohydrate source, suitable for both normal and diabetic individuals, underscores its versatility and highlights avenues for innovation in the food industry especially in confectionary, bakeries, beverages, snack foods or other natural, health-oriented food industries.

Laser‐induced self‐propagating synthesis and electromagnetic wave absorption properties of MoAlB powders

AbstractMoAlB powders with a purity of 96 wt.% were successfully fabricated by a laser‐induced self‐propagating method using molybdenum boride (MoB) and aluminum powders as starting materials under the conditions of an n(MoB): n(Al) ratio of 1.0:1.4 and the laser linear energy density (El) of 0.9 J/mm, and the effect of raw material composition and El on the phase composition and microstructure of the resultant MoAlB powders were investigated. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value and effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of the as‐prepared MoAlB absorber with a thickness of 5.0 mm were only determined as −12.5 dB (at 16.9 GHz) and 0.9 GHz (16.4–17.3 GHz) in the frequency of 1–18 GHz, respectively. Nevertheless, the RLmin and EAB of as‐prepared MoAlB powders oxidized after 3 h at 773 K increased to −18.59 dB (at 15.82 GHz) and 2.13 GHz (15.22–17.35 GHz), respectively, demonstrating that the as‐prepared MoAlB powders are potential candidates for high‐temperature microwave absorption applications. This study proposes a new efficient strategy for the preparation of boron‐based ternary compounds for high‐temperature electromagnetic wave absorption application.

Phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography reveals droplet penetration into a powder bed

Understanding the mixing behavior that unfolds when liquid droplets impact on powder beds requires a sub-surface dynamic imaging method that provides high spatial and temporal resolution. In this study, a high-resolution phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PhS-OCT) technique was introduced to provide in-depth insights into the interaction of droplets and powder beds. A theoretical model correlating changes in the optical path differences (OPD) of the OCT signal with physical properties of the powder bed was presented. Experiments were conducted on three powders with median particle diameters, i.e., the size corresponding to the 50th percentile of the cumulative volume distribution, of 3 µm (mannitol), 4 µm (mannitol) and 109 µm (SV010). Water and ethanol droplets were used to illustrate the technique. The results demonstrated that OPD maps can qualitatively resolve the liquid-powder mixture region, both temporally and spatially, as the droplet diffuses into the powder bed, allowing for a quantitative description of diffusion behavior. A comparison of lactose and mannitol powder samples revealed varying diffusion rates, potentially attributed to differences in porosity, particle size, and agglomeration. Additionally, water and ethanol droplets exhibited significantly different (p = 0.005) diffusion profiles for the same powder properties. In general, the findings indicate the potential of the proposed PhS-OCT technique for evaluating the mixing behavior of multi-phase mixtures, holding promise in applications such as pharmaceutical drug formulations and additive manufacturing.

A novel bio-based water reducer for concrete application: Facile process and techno-economic analysis of xylonate bioproduction from lignocellulosic residues

The xylonate was bioproduced directly from lignocellulosic residues, and the application properties of crude xylonate powder were investigated with a promising potential as a bio-based concrete water reducer. The overall integrated process was evaluated on the view of mass balance and techno-economic analysis using Aspen Plus modeling. 56 g/L of calcium xylonate (XA-Ca) can be obtained within 8 h from acidic corncob hydrolysate (ACH) at a 100 % yield with the whole-cell catalysis of Gluconobacter oxydans. At the addition of 0.2 wt% in the dry concrete content, XA-Ca powder and sodium xylonate powder prepared from pure xylose and ACH could reduce water used in concrete by 15 %, 14 %, 13 %, and 13 %, respectively. XA-Ca from ACH led to a 33% increase in concrete compressive strength and a 24% increase in concrete flexural strength at day 7 compared to the blank group. The techno-economic analysis showed the minimum XA-Ca powder price to be $ 0.806/kg which can be economically feasible. This study provides a practical and economical process prototype for the industrial concrete water reducer application of novel bio-based xylonate produced from lignocellulosic residues.

Effect of Particle Size on Physical Properties of Rambutan Seed Powder

Rambutan seed powder is derived from the crushing of dried seed of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) and it is promisingly used as an incorporating powder into food product. However, there is limited information on the effects of particle size on the handling and processing of rambutan seed powder in the industry. Therefore, a study was performed to determine the effects of particle sizes on physical properties of rambutan seeds powder. The physical properties measured moisture content, bulk and tapped density, as well as flowability characteristics. In this work, the powders were classified based on their mean diameter (d50) that ranged between less than 250 μm, between 250 μm and 750 μm and more than 750 μm. The fine rambutan seed powder (RSP) with particle 250 μm to 750 μm exhibited the best powder characteristics as it holds lowest moisture content, 5.42% and fair and passable flow properties, with Hausner ratio of 1.26 ± 1.20. The results indicated a significant impact of particle size on the cohesivity, where smaller particle size tended to decrease flowability and caused caking and agglomeration, which led to undesirable quality of food product.

Effects of the demineralisation degree on physicochemical, functional, microstructural and powder flow properties of whey powder

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the demineralisation process on powder flow, physicochemical, functional, and microstructural properties of whey powders (WP). WP samples were produced from 50, 70 and 90% demineralised sweet whey concentrates. Although the salt, ash, and lactic acid content of the powders decreased with increasing demineralisation, pH increased. D [3,2] (surface area mean diameter) value of WP samples ranged from 28.2 to 60.9 μm, in which demineralisation increased the particle size. The colour values showed increased darkness and yellowness, attributed to the higher demineralisation process. Demineralisation improved solubility and foaming characteristics, whereas it decreased the wettability and dispersibility of samples. The caking and cohesion characteristics of WP were significantly decreased by demineralisation. Demineralisation significantly improved the powder flow characteristics of samples. The cohesion index decreased depending on the demineralisation degree increased. Also, demineralisation decreased the cake strength and compaction coefficient of samples. Mineral content decreased with increasing demineralisation, with some minerals showing more sensitivity to demineralisation than others. Scanning Electron Microscope images showed reduced caking and clustering in samples with higher degrees of demineralisation. The results highlighted the importance of demineralisation as an effective parameter to control the properties of WP. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the degree of demineralisation had a substantial impact on the physical and functional properties of WP.

Rheological properties of seawater-mixed seashell powder calcined slag cement slurries: Effect of polycarboxylate superplasticizer and temperature

In this study, the effects of temperature and a polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) on the rheological properties of seawater-mixed seashell powder calcined slag cement (SCSC) slurries were examined, revealing the mechanism of action of the PCE in them. The results showed that the shear stress and viscosity of the seawater-mixed SCSC slurries tended to decrease and then increase with increasing PCE content, reaching a minimum value at 0.8% PCE content, reducing the viscosity by 31.8% compared to the SCSC slurry without PCE. Temperature variations did not change the flow pattern of the seawater-mixed SCSC slurries; however, the rheological parameters were greatly affected. The viscosity, shear stress, and consistency coefficient decreased gradually with increasing temperature, whereas the rheological index exhibited the opposite trend.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT IN ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING OF SS316 USING GRAPHITE POWDER DISPERSED IN BIODEGRADABLE PALM OIL DIELECTRIC

In today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing industry, researchers and engineers are constantly seeking innovative methods to improve machining processes. One such area of interest is the use of electrical discharge machining (EDM) for difficult-to-machine metals like SS316. This research compares the performance and economic aspects of traditional EDM and powder-mixed EDM when machining SS316 using copper electrode. Graphite powder dispersed in biodegradable palm oil is investigated as a dielectric media with the aim of enhancing EDM performance. According to the findings, the analysis of the cutting performance of different machinability aspects revealed that using graphite powder mixed with palm oil as a dielectric in EDM outperformed conventional EDM relating to material removal, surface finish, surface hardness, electrode wear rate and hole overcut. The flushing condition and unique properties of graphite powder and palm oil, such as cooling, and thermal conductivity, contributed to the improved performance observed in EDM processes. These findings highlight the potential of graphite powder mixed with palm oil as a promising alternative dielectric in EDM, offering enhanced machining capabilities and improved surface quality. The total machining expenditure per part under PMEDM (INR 505.50) is lowered by 9.2% than expenditure under conventional EDM (INR 525). The surface microhardness of the machined component attained using graphite powder-mixed EDM is enhanced in comparison to that achieved using standard EDM due to the creation of a carbon-rich re-solidified layer.