Casting Technique

Slip casting of metal powders closely follows ceramic slip casting techniques (see Ceramics). SHp, which is a viscous Hquid containing finely divided metal particles in a stable suspension, is poured into a plaster-of-Paris mold of the shape desired. As the Hquid is absorbed by the mold, the metal particles are carried to the wall and deposited there. This occurs equally in all directions and equally for metal particles of all sizes which gives a uniformly thick layer of powder deposited at the mold wall. 

Reaction injection moulding techniques, developed primarily for polyurethanes (see Chapter 27), have also been adapted for nylon 6 in what must be considered as a variation of the polymerisation casting technique. 

Park et al. [20] reported on the synthesis of poly-(chloroprene-co-isobutyl methacrylate) and its compati-bilizing effect in immiscible polychloroprene-poly(iso-butyl methacrylate) blends. A copolymer of chloroprene rubber (CR) and isobutyl methacrylate (iBMA) poly[CP-Co-(BMA)] and a graft copolymer of iBMA and poly-chloroprene [poly(CR-g-iBMA)] were prepared for comparison. Blends of CR and PiBMA are prepared by the solution casting technique using THF as the solvent. The morphology and glass-transition temperature behavior indicated that the blend is an immiscible one. It was found that both the copolymers can improve the miscibility, but the efficiency is higher in poly(CR-Co-iBMA) than in poly(CR-g-iBMA),... 

Wang and Chen [41] studied the compatibility problems of incompatible NBR-PVC blends. Poly(vinyl-idene chloride-covinyl chloride) is reported to act as an efficient interfacial agent. Blends of PVC, NBR, and the copolymer were prepared by the solution casting technique using THE as a solvent. Improvement in mechanical properties can be achieved in NBR-PVC blend by the addition of different types of rubbers [42]. Different rubbers include NR, styrene butadiene (SBR) and butadiene (BR). Replacement of a few percent of NBR by other rubbers will improve the mechanical properties and at the same time reduce the cost of the blend. 

Conventional machining operations are used preferably from the same plastic to be used in the product (Chapter 8, SECONDARY EQUIPMENT). Different casting techniques are used that provide low cost even though they are usually labor intensive. The casting of unfilled or filled/reinforced plastic used include TS polyurethane, epoxy, structural foam, and RTV silicone. Also used are die cast metals. 

In another casting technique, that of infection molding, used for intricate shapes or small diam dimensions, the complete item is produced in place by relatively low press-forcing of an exp 1-plastic mixt which is then allowed to cure (Fig 2). 

Chitin films can be manufactured from DMAc solutions or by other approaches, for example, blend films of beta-chitin (derived from squid pens) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by a solution casting technique from corresponding solutions of beta-chitin and PVA in concentrated formic acid. Upon evaporation of the solvent, the film having 50/50 composition was found to be cloudy [224]. 

Insulin (molecular weight 7000) has been formulated in controlled release microbeads and pellets (135,136). A solvent evaporation micro-encapsulation procedure was used to produce microspheres with up to 20% by weight insulin. Solvent-casting techniques were used to prepare pellets. The investigations demonstrated that the PLA... 

RF Phalen, MJ Oldham. Tracheobronchial airway structure as revealed by casting techniques. Am Rev Respir Dis 128 S1-S4, 1983. 

Modern casting techniques allow the production of massive steel rolls, which can subsequently be milled directly into plates for the car industry. Exact proportions of carbon and special additives make steel a "high-tech" material. 

Metal Casting Techniques. Many ancient cast metal objects were made by the cire perdue (lost wax) casting process, which involves pouring molten metal into a one-piece mold and letting it solidify modem fakes are usually cast in two halves that are then joined. A casting fin, or a fine line of filed solder on a cast object, usually reveals that the casting is modem. 

Zirfon separator is a new alternative for Ni—H2 batteries. It is a porous composite separator material composed of a polysulfone matrix and ZrOz, which is present in a powder form. The manufacturing is based on the film-casting technique. It is very stable in concentrated KOH solutions at elevated temperatures. These films are around 300 /iin thick. SORAPEC has tested Zirfon in Ni—H2 cells and has indicated that it is one of the best separators. 

The coatings were applied to one side of a steel substrate by means of a spray gun for the lower viscosity coatings, or by doctor blading with an adjustable Gardner knife for the higher viscosity materials. A casting technique was also used in which a known volume of the coating material was poured into a known area defined by heavy tape and was allowed to spread while on a level surface. 

To investigate the mechanism of membrane formation as a function of the casting techniques listed in point (4) above. 

Film thickness can govern the morphology, stability, and surface-chemical expression of polymeric thin films. NIST researchers developed a process for producing gradients, termed flow coating, which is a modified blade-casting technique [3-5]. How coater instrumentation and the flow coating process are illustrated in Fig. 2. To create the library, a dilute solution of polymer in solvent (1-5% mass fraction) is injected into the gap between a doctor blade positioned over a flat substrate... 

---