Randomized trial investigates polymer-coated ceramic benefits over admixed compounds in injection molding, suggesting superior flowability and processing efficiency.
Key Points
This study aims to compare the performance of polymer-coated ceramic powders with conventional admixed ceramic-polymer feedstocks in the context of injection molding.
Utilized thermally induced phase separation to prepare polymer-coated ceramic powders (PCCPs) using alumina and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).
Measured viscosity, flowability, packing efficiency, and thermal stability of PCCP at 50% and 60% solids loadings.
Compared results with conventional admixed ceramic-polymer compounds prepared via melt-mixing.
PCCP showed a 54.1% lower viscosity at 1000 s ‒1 compared to admixes at 50% loading.
PCCP demonstrated a lower Hausner ratio of 1.15 versus 1.56 for alumina at 50% loading, indicating better flowability.
At 60% loading, PCCP maintained better rheological performance despite increased viscosity compared to admixed compounds.