Impact of Density Degree and Grade of Inorganic Binder on Behavior of Molding Sand at High Temperature

This paper discusses the impact of high temperatures (up to 900°C) on molding and core sand with inorganic binders selected from among the group of unmodified grades of hydrated sodium silicate (water-glass). Molding sands with medium quartz sand were made under laboratory conditions and compacted at the different energy inputs necessary for obtaining various apparent densities (ϱ0). Due to the different composition and apparent density of molding mixtures hardened via microwaves at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, it was possible to assess their deformation (L) at a high temperature above the binder’s eutectic temperature. For this purpose, an apparatus for hot distortion tests was used whose construction and equipment allows us to measure the thermoplastic deformations in molding sand in many aspects; i.e., in its time of annealing. The article proposes new possibilities of interpreting the hot distortion phenomena in comparative studies of molding materials and mixtures. The application of this new measurement method revealed the differences between molding mixtures made with five inorganic binders with a molar module ranging from 2.0 to 3.4 and apparent density ranging from 1.34 to 1.57 g/cm3. It was established that distortions under the influence of high temperatures last the longest in molding sand with a binder with the highest molar module (3.4). Research also revealed that the density of molding sand is significant for increasing/decreasing the rate of thermoplastic deformations following the heating of samples only if the molding sand includes binders with a molar module of between 3.0 to 3.4. For molding sand with binders with molar modules from 2.0 to 2.5, it was established that this is excessively susceptible to thermoplastic deformation.

Influence of wet activation of used inorganic binder on cyclically refreshed water glass moulding sands hardened by microwaves

The paper presents the research results of using an innovative method to reclaim the waste moulding sands containing water glass. Two of the examined processes are connected with "dry" or "wet" activation of inorganic binder in waste moulding sand mixtures physically hardened by microwave radiation. The sand mixtures consisting of high-silica sand and water-glass with average molar module 2.5, were subjected to the following cyclical process: mixing the components, compacting, microwave heating, cooling-down, thermally loading the mould to 800 °C, cooling-down to ambient temperature, and knocking-out. After being knocked-out, the waste moulding sands were subjected to either dry or wet activation of the binder. To activate thermally treated inorganic binder, each of the examined processes employed the surface phenomenon usually associated to mechanical reclamation. The study also covered possible use of some elements of wet reclamation to rehydrate waste binder. To evaluate the effectiveness of the two proposed methods of waste binder activation, selected strength and technological parameters were measured. After each subsequent processing cycle, the permeability, tensile strength and bending strength were determined. In addition, the surface of activated sand grains was examined with a scanning electron microscope. Analysis of the results indicates that it is possible to re-activate the used binder such as sodium silicate, and to stabilize the strength parameters in both activation processes. Permeability of the refreshed moulding sands strongly depends on the surface condition of high-silica grains. The wet activation process by wetting and buffering knocked-out moulding sands in closed humid environment makes it possible to reduce the content of refreshing additive in water-glass. The moulding sands cyclically prepared in both processes do not require the addition of fresh high-silica sand. The relatively high quality achieved in the refreshed moulding sands allows them to be reused for manufacture of next moulds. Thus, the two proposed methods for cyclically processing used moulding sands containing sodium silicate, subject to microwave hardening, are suitable for economic and ecological circulation moulding mixtures