Enhancing mechanical properties and permeability of ceramic shell in investment casting process

In the present investigation, the mechanical properties and hot permeability of the ceramic shell used in investment casting process were improved by modifying the ingredients of conventional slurry. The modifications were made by adding a varying content of nano alumina, camphor and a mixture nano alumina and camphor (hybrid mixture) individually into the conventional slurry. The properties, viz. green strength, fired strength, corner strength, load bearing capacity, self-load deformation and permeability of the modified shells were investigated and compared with conventional shell. The experimental results revealed that the green strength of all the shells increased with an increment of the additives into the slurry. The maximum green, fired and corner strengths were exhibited by the nano alumina modified shell with 1wt% nano alumina addition. The lowest self-load deformation at elevated temperature was also attained by the nano alumina modified shell with 1wt% nano alumina addition. The addition of camphor significantly improved the permeability of the shell among all the developed shells. But, addition of camphor decreased the strength of the shell. It was also found that addition of hybrid mixture into the slurry simultaneously increased the mechanical properties and permeability of the shell.