Process optimization for sintering of metal injection molded copper through advanced kinetics analysis

摘要

The sintering shrinkage kinetics of metal injection molded copper brown parts was investigatedat three different heating rates up to 1050oC using a high temperature pushrod dilatometer.Derivation of the shrinkage curve with respect to time revealed that the sintering process can besubdivided into three steps. Non-isothermal and isothermal measurements were simultaneouslyused in the multivariate non-linear regression analysis to determine the kinetic reactionparameters. Significant improvement of the fit quality of the kinetics data is achieved throughusing a three steps “Jander” diffusion kinetics model. Using the rate control sintering,optimization of the temperature-time profile for the predefined shrinkage was achieved withrespect to time saving. Satisfactory agreement between prediction and experiment wasaccomplished. The result was also confirmed by metallographic analysis of the microstructureand determination of the sintered density.