Effects of Polymer Decomposition Behavior on Thermal Debinding Process in Metal Injection Molding

Abstract

The thermal degradation mechanism of several polymers was studied for the metal injection molding (MIM) process. The depolymerization type polymers (polybutyl-methacrylate (PBMA) and polyacetal (POM)) had fast thermal degradation speed. On the other hand, the thermal degradation of the random type polymers (polypropylene (PP) and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)) was influenced by the type of debinding atmosphere (air and nitrogen). In the thermal debinding process, it was clear that the thermal degradation speed of the feedstocks that contained more than 35.3 vol.% of depolymerization type polymers was faster than that of the feedstocks which contained more than 8.5 vol.% of random type polymers. For the feedstocks that contained more than 35.3 vol.% of POM and PBMA, the sintered test pieces had less than 30 ppm of carbon and the sintering relative density of the sintered parts was in the range of 95.5 to 96.5%. The debinding ratio of the test pieces decreased with an increase in the PP content. However, the thermal degradation gases of POM and PBMA (without any PP) caused some cracks and holes when a heating rate greater than 30°C hr⁻¹ was used to heat the specimen to the 270-300°C temperature range.