Environmentally friendly materials and technologies for the production of castings from aluminum alloys

Abstract

The article is devoted to the topical problem of development and creation of environmentally friendly materials and technologies for foundry production. In recent years, priorities have changed in the development of materials and technological processes towards their compatibility with the environment. The environmental aspects of production come to the fore, which are determined by harmful emissions into the atmosphere, which is strictly regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. In the foundry industry to obtain castings in disposable forms, various technologies have been developed and used, which can be separated based on the type of mold used and the method of its manufacture. The main content of the study is the analysis of traditional foundry technologies and the most promising technology of casting in low-temperature forms (NTF). The peculiarity of casting in NTF is a significant increase in the strength of molds, compared with casting in sand-clay molds, as well as the possibility of using water as the main binder. This method of mold making improves the structure, increases the accuracy and geometry of castings, saves molding materials, and, most importantly, improves the environment by eliminating harmful emissions into the atmosphere of foundries. However, the method of casting in NTF has a number of disadvantages associated with the formation on the surface of castings of shells, pores, as well as increased burns. To eliminate these shortcomings, it is proposed to apply non-stick coatings on the surface of NTF and rods. Considerable attention is paid to the development and research of non-stick coatings, which allow the use of environmentally friendly casting technology in NTF for the production of castings from various alloys of high quality. Coating compositions and methods for determining the optimal composition of non-stick coating, which could be recommended for the production of aluminum castings in low-temperature molds, are identified and described. The obtained results indicate a high potential for the use of this technology as a means of improving the environmental safety of foundry production.