United States Patent 0 "ice 3,216,841

Patented Nov. 9, 1965

1 2
In the preferred composition of this invention 1% 0f the
3,216,841 water weight of the slip is salt. The hydroxide is prefer
METAL SLIP CASTING COMPOSITION
Edward L. Thellmann, Walton Hills, Ohio, assignor to ably employed in the form of aqueous solutions contain
Clevite Corporation, a corporation of Ohio ing about 29% by weight of hydroxide.
No Drawing. Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,341 The improvements in slip molding compositions are
5 Claims. (Cl. 105-208) the result of experimental efforts made to obtain faster
drying time in slip molding compositions by altering the
This invention relates to a process for slip casting and pH of the compositions. The pH of slip molding com
to slip casting compositions employed therein. positions was changed through the additions of acids and
In general slip casting is carried out by formulating a 10 bases. However, the slip molding compositions which
composition consisting of a suspending agent, a metal were found to be desirable invariably had no signi?cant
powder, and water. This composition or slip contains pH change, the result, of course, being due to the fact
su?‘icient Water to give the slip the proper consistency for that acid andv base additions weremerely neutralizing
casting. The slip is then poured into a plaster-of-paris each other and forming salts. While the presence of a
mold of the desired shape. The mold is kept full for a 15 salt rather than any critical pI-I has been found to be
short space of time depending upon its dryness, the pro the deciding factor in effecting drying time of a slip, it
portion of water in the slip, and the thickness of the should be noted that slips are preferably basic in nature
article to be formed. The mold absorbs water from the in order to prevent the slip from destroying the mold.
outer portions of the slip, thereby forming a deposit of In order to determine the extent to which salt effects
the metal powder on the inside of the mold of a thickness 20 the drying time of a slip the following test was made.
which may be varied according to the length of time it A basic slip composition was prepared containing 75%
is allowed to deposit. The cast article is then dried and by weight of 250 mesh iron powder plus 25% by weight
later ignited in a non-oxidizing atmosphere whereby non of water and sufficient superloid (high viscosity ammo
metallic additions are removed and the metal powder nium alginate prepared by Kelco Co.) to act as a sus
sintered to form a permanent article, the degree of sin 25 pending agent. This basic slip composition was divided
tering depending upon the temperature and duration of into three portions, with additions of ammonium acetate
heating. salt as follows: ?rst slip-ammonium acetate sa-lt present
The term “suspending agent” may be de?ned as a mate in quantities such as to compose 0.5% of the total water
rial which has the ability to form a colloidal dispersion weight; second slip-ammonium acetate salt present in
in water thereby preventing particulate material from quantities such as to compose 1.0% of the total water
settling out of the liquid phase. Typical suspending weight; third slip—ammonium acetate salt present so as
agents are agents such as for instance polyvinyl alcohol, to compose 2.0% of the total water weight. All three
gum arabic and various alginates. slips were then poured into ring-shaped plaster molds.
Slip molding operations, however, are subject to cer The ring containing 2.0% salt was dry enough to handle
tain de?ciencies. It has been found for instance that it 35 within one hour. The ring containing 1.0% salt was
is di?icult to control drying time in slip molding opera dry and ?rm enough to handle in four hours, while the
tions. Drying time, in turn, affects the reproducibility ring containing 0.5% salt was dry after standing over
of the physical properties and dimensions of the article night.
obtained. It has also been found that slip molded articles In general the slip compositions of this invention are
are sometimes difficult to remove from the molds, the prepared as follows:
molds themselves sometimes becoming discolored and The correct amount of de-ionized water is measured.
unsuitable for additional molding operations. From 0.75% to 1.0% of the water weight of salt is added
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide and put into solution by means of agitation. suspending
a method for producing slip cast articles which have re agent is then added and the mixture agitated until the
producibility of physical properties and dimensions. 45
suspending agent is completely dissolved. Ammonium
It is another object of this invention to provide slip hydroxide is added until a pH of about 9 is obtained.
casting compositions having uniform drying times. The solution is then charged with metal powder, the
It is still another object of this invention to provide mixing speed being reduced to eliminate air entrapment.
slip cast articles which are easily freed from molds with The slip is de-aired on a jar mill at one r.p.m. for a period
50
out subsequent discoloration in the mold. of from two to four hours. The slip is adjusted to a
I have now discovered, in a slip casting process em pH of 9.6 to 9.7 by addition of ammonium hydroxide
ploying a mold and a slip casting composition consisting solution.
of a suspending agent and a metal powder carried in an The following speci?c examples of slip compositions
aqueous medium, the novel steps of adding a salt to said are given for purposes of illustration and should not be
slip casting composition and coating said mold with a considered as limiting the spirit or scope of this invention.
hydroxide prior to casting. In general the salt to be
employed is a water soluble salt which will exert an Example I
effect on the colloidal system of the suspending agent. \ Parts

The salts may be salts, such as for instance sodium Iron carbonyl (10 microns particle size) _______ __. 2000
chloride, potassium chloride and ammonium acetate. 60 Water ___________________________________ __ 400
The preferred salt is ammonium acetate in that this salt Ammonium acetate ________________________ __ 3.75
is completely removed in sintering operations and does Ammonium alginate _______________________ __ 4
not have a corrosive effect on the metal article. The Ammonium hydroxide (29% by weight aqueous
hydroxide employed may be any hydroxide which has 65 solution) _ _ 13
the ability to prevent the metallic component of the slip Example II
from entering the face of the mold. Ammonium hy
droxide has been found to be especially suitable for pur Tungsten powder (1.37 microns particle size) ____ 80
poses of this invention. The salt should be present in De-ionized water _____ __ 20
the slip in amounts such that from 3% by weight to Ammonium alginate _______________________ __ 1.2
1/z% by weight of the water weight of the slip is salt. 70 Ammonium acetate ________________________ __ 1
 3,216,841
3 4
Example Ill vinyl alcohol and gum arabic and a metal powder selected
Parts from the group consisting of iron, iron carbonyl and
Water ____________________________________ __ 400 tungsten carried in an aqueous medium the steps of add
Iron carbonyl (10 microns particle size) _______ __ 960 ing a water soluble salt selected from the group consist
Iron powder (250 mesh) ____________________ __ 640 ing of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and ammo
Ammonium acetate ________________________ .__ 20 nium acetate in an amount equal to between 1/2 to 3% of
Ammonium alginate _______________________ __ 4 the water weight to said slip casting composition.
2. A slip casting composition consisting essentially of
Example 1V a metal powder selected from the group consisting of
Water _ ____ _ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _._ 250
10 iron, iron carbonyl and tungsten, a suspending agent
Iron powder (250 mesh) ____________________ __ 750 selected from the group consisting of ammonium alginate,
Ammonium acetate ________________________ __ 2.5 polyvinyl alcohol and gum arabic, water, and a water
Ammonium alginate _______________________ .._ 2.5 soluble salt selected from the group consisting of sodium
chloride, potassium chloride and ammonium acetate in
Example V an amount equal to between 1/2 to 3% of the water weight.
Water ___._ _____ _ ___ 250 3. A slip casting composition consisting essentially of
Iron powder (250 mesh) ____________________ __ 750 a metal powder selected from the group consisting of
Sodium chloride ________________________ __-__.. 2.5 ‘iron, iron carbonyl and tungsten, a suspending agent
Ammonium alginate _______________________ __ 2.5 selected from the group consisting of ammonium alginate,
While the exact mechanism of the reaction involved
polyvinyl alcohol and gum arabic, water, and a water
soluble salt present in amounts such that from 0.5% to
on the addition of the salt to a slip is unknown, it is be
lieved that since a slip has a colloidal component due to
3% by weight of the total quantity of water present is
salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chlo—
the presence of the suspending agent that the addition of ride, potassium chloride and ammonium acetate.
a salt to the slip reduces swelling of the suspending agent 4. A slip casting composition consisting essentially of
making the slip less viscous and freeing Water which may a metal powder selected from the group consisting of
be more readily absorbed into the plaster mold, the in iron, iron carbonyl and tungsten, a suspending agent
creased absorption of water into the mold results of selected from the group consisting of ammonium alginate,
course in a shorter drying time. polyvinyl alcohol and gum arabic, water and a water
The mechanism of the improvement resultant from soluble salt selected front the group consisting of sodium
coating the mold with a hydroxide is also unknown.
However, the hydroxide appears to have the ability to
chloride, potassium chloride and ammonium acetate
present in quantities such that about 1% of the total
prevent metal particles from reaching the face of the weight of water present is salt.
mold while still allowing water to penetrate the coating 5. The slip casting composition of claim 2 wherein the
and be absorbed by the mold. This feature of the hy
droxide coating results in easier removal of the article pH is not less than 7.
from the mold and the prevention of corrosion of both References Cited by the Examiner
the coat article and the mold.
While there have been described what are at present UNITED STATES PATENTS
considered to be the preferred embodiments of this inven 1,585,010 5/26 Bellamy _____________ _.. 264-86
tion, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that 2,406,428 8/46 Luckhaupt __________ __ 106-287
various changes and modi?cations may be made therein 2,413,098 12/46 Benner et al _________ __ 106-287
without departing from the invention, and it is aimed, 2,527,390 10/50 Blaha _______________ __ 264-86
therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such 2,811,408 10/57 Braley _______________ __ 18-47
changes and modi?cations as fall within the true spirit 2,851,330 9/58 Taylor _______________ __ 18-47
and scope of the invention. 2,979,401 4/61 Szymaszek ___________ __ 264-86
What I claim is: 2,990,292 6/61 Rempes ______________ __ 18-47
1. In a slip casting process employing a slip casting 3,052,949 9/ 62 Williams et a1 _________ __ 264-86
composition consisting of a suspending agent selected
from the group consisting of ammonium a-lginate, poly 50 MORRIS LIEBMAN, Primary Examiner.
 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
Patent No. 3,216,841 ' November 9,. 1965 I

Edward L. Thellmann
It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat‘
ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as
corrected below.
Column 4, lines‘ 23 and 24, strike out "selected from the
group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and
ammonium acetate" and insert the same after "salt" in line 21,
same column 4 .

Signed and sealed this 20th day of September 1966.

(SEAL) '
, Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER
EDWARD-J.
Commissioner of Patents
Officer