Simulation and optimisation for thermal debinding of copper MIM parts using thermokinetic analysis

Abstract

The thermal debinding behaviour, i.e. the removal of the backbone binder component, of a metal injection moulded copper part was investigated at four different heating rates using a NETZSCH TG 449 F1 Jupiter Thermo-Nanobalance up to 500°C. The derivative thermogravimetry signals corresponding to mass change indicated that thermal debinding decomposition occurred in multiple steps. Using the calculated kinetic parameters through Friedman analysis, such as pre-exponent factors and kinetic energies, a non-linear regression model was established. The prediction was made for the behaviour under rate controlled mass loss (RCM) condition for predefined linear mass loss. The resulting temperature–time profiles were compared with the results of RCM experimental runs. The agreement between the experimental data and the thermokinetic data under RCM was found to be very satisfactory.

Keywords:

• Modelling
• Debinding
• MIM
• Thermoanalysis
• RCM

Acknowledgement

This work was carried out within the project ‘TPM PIM’ in the Austrian Institute of Technology (Vienna, Autria). The first author is also thankful to the Government of Pakistan for providing financial assistance for PhD studies.