Preparation of coated sand for selective laser sintering and optimization of baking process of sand moulds

A cold method was used to prepare coated sand for application in the selective laser sintering(SLS)process.Tensile strength,loss on ignition,gas evolution,and accuracy of the SLS samples were tested and analyzed,and the baking process was thoroughly investigated.Compared with coated sand prepared by the hot method,the cold method yields a more uniform and complete resin film on the sand's surface,resulting in enhanced tensile strength and accuracy.Additionally,the cold method requires a lower binder content to meet the same strength requirements,thereby minimizing gas evolution,reducing porosity defects,and ultimately improving casting quality.The coated sand samples prepared through the cold method exhibit superior accuracy,with a size error of within±0.4 mm.In contrast,the coated sand samples prepared by the hot method display a lower accuracy,with an average negative error of 2.1993 mm.The highest tensile strength could be attained by controlling the baking temperature within a suitable range(180-190°C),which can effectively reduce the generation of gas,thus contributing to improved overall performance.

Effects of laser energy density on forming accuracy and tensile strength of selective laser sintering resin coated sands

Baozhu sand particles with size between 75 μm and 150 μm were coated by resin with the ratio of 1.5 wt.% of sands. Laser sintering experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of laser energy density(E = P/v), with different laser power(P) and scanning velocity(v), on the dimensional accuracy and tensile strength of sintered parts. The experimental results indicate that with the constant scanning velocity, the tensile strength of sintered samples increases with an increase in laser energy density; while the dimensional accuracy apparently decreases when the laser energy density is larger than 0.032 J·mm-2. When the laser energy density is 0.024 J·mm-2, the tensile strength shows no obvious change; but when the laser energy density is larger than 0.024 J·mm-2, the sample strength is featured by the initial increase and subsequent decrease with simultaneous increase of both laser power and scanning velocity. In this study, the optimal energy density range for laser sintering is 0.024-0.032 J·mm-2. Moreover, samples with the best tensile strength and dimensional accuracy can be obtained when P = 30-40 W and v = 1.5-2.0 m·s-1. Using the optimized laser energy density, laser power and scanning speed, a complex coated sand mould with clear contour and excellent forming accuracy has been successfully fabricated.

Adsorption of Fluoride from Water Using Aluminum Coated Sand: Kinetics, Equilibrium, Effect of pH, and Coexisting Ions

An aluminum coated sand (AlCS) was evaluated as a metal oxide adsorbent for adsorption and removal of fluoride from water using a low-cost adsorbent with potential application in continuous flow adsorber systems. Surface characterization of the AlCS sorbent was performed using TEM, SEM/EDX, XRD and BET. The AlCS sorbent contained mostly amorphous aluminum oxides based on adsorbent characterization results. Favorable adsorption of fluoride onto the AlCS sorbent occurred according to the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption equations, while physical adsorption of fluoride onto the AlCS sorbent was observed based on results from the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation. Fluoride adsorption onto the AlCS sorbent followed pseudo-second order kinetics, while surface charge analysis indicated a pHPZC of 7.1 for the AlCS sorbent. Effective fluoride removal occurred over a broad pH range from 3 to 11 with a maximum fluoride removal observed at pH 4 to 5. The effect of co-existing ions in water resulted in a decrease in fluoride uptake in the presence of bicarbonate, while resulting in an increase in fluoride uptake in the presence of calcium. The AlCS sorbent was a low-cost and sustainable adsorbent for effective adsorption and rapid removal of fluoride from water within an hour.

Influence of resin flow on shrinkage of additive manufacturing coated sand molds

Coated sands are used extensively for additive manufacturing sand molds in the metal casting process, and the packing structure changes caused by the resin flow promote the shrinkage and deformation of the part. During the coated sand heating, the resin on the surface flowing to the contact points of the particles forms the resin neck and causes particles to pack close to each other. In this work, the diameters of the coated ceramsite sand before and after heating were measured based on in-situ experimental observations with image measuring apparatus and blue laser, to obtain the relationship between resin coating thickness and the particle diameter. The particle packing model was established to describe the particles' achievement of a stable state one by one. A re-packing simulation was then performed after reducing the particle diameter according to the resin coating thickness, to obtain the shrinkage ratios at different particle size distributions. It was found that the resin coating thickness increased from 0.8 to 2.3 μm as the particle diameter increased from 107 to 500 μm, for the coated ceramsite sand with the resin content of 2 wt.%; the shrinkage ratio decreased first and then increased as the particle diameter increased. The experimental minimum shrinkage ratio was 3.28%, and the corresponding particle diameter was 300-375 μm, while the minimum shrinkage ratio obtained by simulation was 3.43%, and the corresponding particle diameter was 214-300 μm. After mixing the five groups proportionally, the shrinkage ratios of the simulation and experiment dropped to 2.81% and 3.04%, respectively, indicating the best results.

Rapid casting technology based on selective laser sintering

Selective laser sintering(SLS),as a kind of additive manufacturing technology,which uses a laser beam to scan and heat powder material layer by layer to form parts(models),is widely used in the field of casting,mainly for preparing casting coated sand cores,investment casting patterns,etc.The SLS technique facilitates rapid casting and shortens the casting production periods by eliminating mold preparation.In this study,we reached conclusions for the basic principles and characteristics of SLS methods,and focused on the research status,key technology and development trend of SLS in the fields of forming coated sand-casting molds and investment casting patterns.

Binder jetting 3D printing process optimization for rapid casting of green parts with high tensile strength

Binder jetting 3D printing is a rapid,cost effective,and efficient moulding/core making process,which can be applied to a large variety of materials.However,it exhibits a relatively low green-part strength.This may cause the collapse of the printed parts during de-caking and the pick-up procedure,especially in the case of small-scale structures,such as thin walls,tips,and channels.In this work,polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)was used as the additive in coated sand powder.By exploiting the binding effect between the two composites(thermoplastic phenolic resin and PVA)triggered by the binder,bonding necks firmly form among the sand particles,improving the green-part strength of the coated sand printed parts.Experiments based on the Taguchi method were used to investigate the relationship between the process parameters and the green-part tensile strength.The following set of optimal process parameters was identified:50wt.%alcoholicity of the binder,75%binder saturation,0.36 mm layer thickness and 4.5wt.%PVA content.Further,the effect of such parameters on the green-part tensile strength was determined via statistical analysis.The green part of an engine cylinder head sand pattern with complex cavity structures was printed,and the green-part tensile strength reached 2.31 MPa.Moreover,the ZL301 aluminum alloy impeller shape casting was prepared using sand molds printed with the optimal process parameters.The results confirm that the proposed binder jetting 3D printing process can guarantee the integrity of the printed green parts and of small-size structures during de-caking and the pick-up procedure.Furthermore,the casting made from the printed sand molds exhibits a relatively high quality.

Pilot Test of the Permeable Reactive Barrier for Removing Uranium from the Flooded Gunnar Pit

This work reports on applying iron oxide coated sand (IOCS) media in an experimental permeable reactive barrier to remove uranium (U) species from uranium containing water. A field study was conducted at the legacy Gunnar uranium mine & mill site that was abandoned in the 1960s with limited to no decommissioning. The flooded Gunnar mine pit presently contains about 3.2 million m3 of water contaminated by dissolved U (1.2 mg/L), Ra-226 (0.4 Bq/L), and minor concentrations of other contaminants (As, Se, etc.). The water is seeping over the pit rim into Lake Athabasca, posing potential environmental and health concerns. IOCS media can be used to immobilize uranium species through an adsorption process. Herein, the preparation of hydrous ferric oxide sorbents and their supported forms onto silica sands is described. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) were used for structural characterization. The adsorption properties of the IOCS sorbent media were modeled by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, where a maximum uranium uptake capacity was estimated. Bench-scale adsorption kinetic experiments were also performed before moving to a field trial. Based on these lab results and input on field-scale parameters, a pilot permeable reactive barrier was fabricated and a field test conducted near the Gunnar pit in June 2019. This pilot test provided technical data and information needed for designing a full-scale permeable barrier that employs the IOCS media. This approach can be applied for in-situ water treatment at Gunnar and other legacy uranium sites.