Synthesis and Investigation of Properties of Polyethylene Oxide Bonding System for Production of High Density 316L Alloy Parts by Metal Injection Molding

The one forming method in powder engineering is the injection molding method of metal powders. The combination of conventional molding methods in plastic injection and using metal powders has led to significant improvements in the quality of production of sensitive and complex parts in various industries. In this method, the metal powder is mixed with a set of polymeric materials and an injectable mass is formed, which is called feedstock. The resulting feedstock is injected by metal injection machines and the binder part is removed. The de-adhesive part is subjected to a sintering process by controlled atmosphere furnaces to increase its strength and mechanical properties. In this research, first, the optimal binder composition for the production of industrial parts is created. In this research de-binding of a polymeric component at low temperatures is applied to reduce the total production costs of synthesis and after injection of the properties of the final part was discussed. The most important feature of industrial binder composition in the production of various parts is its high ability to remove quickly and without creating cracks and blisters in the final part, while the components of the optimal binder must be available and show good sintering behavior. Based on the results, a four-component binder based on polyethylene oxide has been synthesized, while reducing the final price of the parts, it has been removed well during the solvent and thermal descaling process and its slow release rate during cracking have prevented cracks and blisters in the final parts.