Effect of particle size distribution on the flow behaviour of powder injection moulding materials

Abstract

Experimental data relating to oscillatory flow of hard-metal carbide powders compounded with a polymeric binder are presented. Such powder/binder mixtures are used for the production of sintered cemented carbide components via powder injection moulding. The binder composition tailored to a carbide powder consisted of polyethylene, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, and paraffin wax. Four kinds of hard-metal carbide powders differing in their particle size distribution were considered to investigate the structural changes during shear deformation. The obtained results reveal that particle size distribution of powder has a considerable influence on viscoelastic properties of highly filled compounds.