Title

POWDER INJECTION MOLDING OF NANOSCALE SILICON NITRIDE

POWDER INJECTION MOLDING OF NANOSCALE SILICON NITRIDE

Authorship

SOUZA, JUPITER PALAGI DE; ONBATTUVELLI, VALMIKANATHAN P.; LENZ, JUERGEN; ENNETI, RAVI K.; ATRE, SUNDAR V.

SOUZA, JUPITER PALAGI DE

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ONBATTUVELLI, VALMIKANATHAN P.

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LENZ, JUERGEN

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ENNETI, RAVI K.

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ATRE, SUNDAR V.

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-21157

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Abstract

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) exhibits many functional properties that are relevant to applications in electronics, aerospace, defense and automotive industries. However, the successful translation of these properties into final applications lies in the netshaping of ceramics into fully dense microstructures. Increasing the packing density of the starting powders is one effective route to achieve high sintered density and dimensional precision. The present paper presents an in-depth study on the effects of nanoparticle addition on the powder injection molding process (PIM) of Si3N4 powderpolymer mixture. Mixing, injection molding, debinding and sintering was successfully demonstrated for a wax-polymer feedstock containing nanoscale Si3N4 powders. In addition, feedstock properties were measured and successfully used in Moldflow simulations of an aerospace engine part. The above results provide new design perspectives for PIM of silicon nitride that could impact a wide range of applications.

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) exhibits many functional properties that are relevant to applications in electronics, aerospace, defense and automotive industries. However, the successful translation of these properties into final applications lies in the netshaping of ceramics into fully dense microstructures. Increasing the packing density of the starting powders is one effective route to achieve high sintered density and dimensional precision. The present paper presents an in-depth study on the effects of nanoparticle addition on the powder injection molding process (PIM) of Si3N4 powderpolymer mixture. Mixing, injection molding, debinding and sintering was successfully demonstrated for a wax-polymer feedstock containing nanoscale Si3N4 powders. In addition, feedstock properties were measured and successfully used in Moldflow simulations of an aerospace engine part. The above results provide new design perspectives for PIM of silicon nitride that could impact a wide range of applications.

Keywords

Powder injection molding; Nanoparticles; Silicon nitride; Rheology; Engine.

Powder injection molding; Nanoparticles; Silicon nitride; Rheology; Engine.