Creation of self-hardening aluminum phosphate binders for manufacturing foundry cores

The aims of this publication is to study the physical and chemical conditions of formation of self-hardening aluminum phosphate binders based on orthophosphoric acid and fine-grained aluminum powder, research of its chemical structure and properties of core mixtures for foundry production.

The methods used in the work are: X-ray phase analysis on the Rigaku Ultima IV, differential thermogravimetric analysis on the STA 449 C. Orthophosphoric acid 85% concentration and finely dispersed aluminum powder were used as materials. Samples of core mixtures were made on the basis of quartz sand with an average particle size of 0.2 … 0.3 mm.

As a result of the experiments, it was established that in the system of orthophosphoric acid and finely dispersed aluminum powder, a chemical interaction occurs at ambient temperature, which leads to the formation of a phosphate binder. It has been confirmed that it is aluminum orthophosphate in the form of berlinite, and it does not undergo phase transformations, namely it is thermally stable when heated from 20 to 1000 оС. A significant advantage for core mixtures in foundry production is that the chemical interaction in this system does not begin immediately after mixing the components, but after 5 … 10 min, which is explained by the presence of protective oxide or hydroxide films on the aluminum particles. This ensures the period of technological suitability of the core mixture, and subsequently ensures its self-hardening.

In contrast to previously known aluminum phosphate binders, which required heating from 200 to 300 оС for their hardening, a self-hardening aluminum phosphate binders and the core mixture based on it were created for the first time.

With the amount of 2 … 3% of orthophosphoric acid and 1 … 2% of aluminum powder, after 1 h the strength indicators of the mixture based on quartz sand exceed 1 MPa, which is sufficient for the production of foundry cores.