SBIR Phase I: Development of a Versatile Low-Pressure Injection Molding Process for Net-Shape Ceramic Components

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种创新和多功能的低压注塑(LPIM)工艺，用于制造网状陶瓷元件。近年来，LPIM被认为是制造高精度、复杂几何形状陶瓷零件的一种有吸引力的工艺。然而，限制注塑成型工艺用于生产的一个主要因素是缺乏可靠性和生产能力。因此，迫切需要能够大幅改进LPIM过程的技术。本项目将采用低压注射成型方法，以低成本、可靠的方式实现高性能陶瓷的净成形。具体的创新包括：利用环保的溶剂萃取除粘剂技术，提高当前粘结剂系统的导热性，并展示了改进的制造通用性，对材料和尺寸限制相对不敏感。商业上的好处将是氧化铝陶瓷为基础的横流微粒过滤系统，用于液体废气；莫来石为基础的热气流过滤器；NZP为基础的发动机衬里；和氧化铝为基础的元素保持架，用于熔炉。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an innovative and versatile low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) process for the fabrication of net-shape ceramic components. LPIM has been recently recognized as an attractive process for the fabrication of high-precision, complex-geometry ceramic parts. However, one major factor that limits the use of injection molding process for production is the lack of reliability and throughput. Thus, there is an immediate need for technologies that can substantially improve the LPIM process. This project will utilize a low-pressure injection molding approach for the net-shape forming of high performance ceramics reliably and at low cost. Specific innovations include: utilizing an environmentally-safe solvent extraction debinder technique, improving the thermal conductivity of the current binder system, and demonstrating an improved fabrication versatility that is relatively insensitive to material and size constraints.The commercial benefits will be to alumina ceramic based cross-flow particulate filtration systems for liquid waste streams; mullite based filters for hot gas streams; NZP based engine liners; and alumina based element holders for furnaces.