O processo de moldagem de pós por injeção (MPI) é uma tecnologia relativamente recente e permite a fabricação de peças e componentes de diversos materiais, com a possibilidade de fabricar peças em larga escala. O processo MPI é composto por quatro etapas: mistura do pó com o material orgânico (ligante), moldagem por injeção, extração do ligante e sinterização. O ligante é um veículo temporário composto por polímeros e/ou ceras e sua função é possibilitar o escoamento da carga injetável para o molde durante a moldagem por injeção e após a moldagem este deve ser totalmente removido da peça. A maioria dos polímeros utilizados no ligante é oriunda do petróleo, que é uma fonte não renovável que gera sérios impactos ambientais. Neste estudo foi proposto a utilização de ligante à base de borracha natural, que além de ser proveniente de fonte renovável, confere elasticidade à peça moldada, que possibilita a fácil desmoldagem de peças com geometria complexa e pequenas espessuras. Também se analisou a substituição da parafina, que estudada em trabalhos anteriores em ligante para injeção de alumina com a borracha natural, pela cera de carnaúba na moldagem por injeção de pó de ferro metálico. Foram avaliados três ligantes à base de borracha natural e as ceras: (i) parafina, (ii) cera de carnaúba e (iii) parafina + cera de carnaúba e estudou-se o efeito da composição do ligante em cada etapa do processo MPI. Investigou-se as propriedades químicas e térmicas dos ligantes, o teor de pó admissível nas cargas injetáveis, as rotas de remoção do ligante por via térmica e solvente e as propriedades finais como retração linear, porosidade, microestrutura e resistência à flexão. As composições de ligante a base de borracha natural e cera de carnaúba proporcionaram melhores propriedades ao processo MPI. Nestas composições foi possível a moldagem por injeção de cargas injetáveis com maior teor de pó, apresentaram maior estabilidade reológica, em que a viscosidade apresentou baixa variação em relação à temperatura e maior estabilidade com o aumento do teor de pó. Além disso, foram as únicas amostras que não apresentaram defeitos durante a extração por solvente e apresentaram propriedades finais satisfatórias para o processo MPI de ferro. / The Powder Injection Molding process (PIM) is a relatively new technology and allows the manufacturing of parts and components of various materials, with the possibility of fabricating parts in microscale. The PIM process is composed of four steps: mix the powder with the organic material (binder), injection molding, extraction of the binder and sintering. The binder is a temporary vehicle composed of polymers and/or waxes and its function is to allow the flow of the feedstock into the mold during injection molding, and after molding this should be completely removed from the sample. Most of the polymers used in the binder are derived from petroleum, which is a non-renewable source that generates serious environmental impacts. In this study, it was proposed the use of binder based on polymer and wax from renewable sources that reduce the environmental impact. It was analyzed the substitution of paraffin, which was studied in previous studies with natural rubber, by the carnauba wax in the injection molding of the iron carbonyl. Were evaluated three binders based on polymer and wax: (i) paraffin, (ii) carnauba wax and (iii) paraffin wax carnauba wax and we studied the binder composition effect in each step of PIM process. The chemical and thermal binder properties, the critical powder volume concentration, the solvent and thermal debinding and the sintered properties were analyzed. As results, we found that the natural rubber and carnauba wax binder have better PIM process properties. In this binder was possible an injection molding with higher powder content, showing higher rheological stability, which the viscosity was more stable under temperature and powder content variation. Furthermore, the samples with this binder shown no defects after solvent debinding and suitable sintered properties for the iron PIM process.

Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido o projeto e fabricação de quatro componentes de uma pinça de biópsia (concha, garfo, oito e haste), através da micromoldagem de pós metálicos por injeção. A matéria prima utilizada neste trabalho é conhecida comercialmente como CATAMOLD® 316L A. Corpos de prova foram obtidos através da injeção em uma injetora de baixa pressão para determinação da quantidade de pó de aço inoxidável 316L e sistema aglutinante contida na matéria prima. Ensaios de injetabilidade foram realizados para análise do comportamento da matéria prima no processo de injeção. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de injeção (temperatura de injeção, temperatura do molde e velocidade de injeção) e as variáveis de saída (pressão de injeção, massa, segregação entre pó e sistema aglutinante e densidade). A influência dos parâmetros de injeção sobre as variáveis de injeção foi analisada através do delineamento estatístico via Redes Neurais Artificiais (RNA), com a utilização do programa Statgraphics® Centurion XV. Os corpos de prova obtidos na injetora de baixa pressão apresentaram alta quantidade de pó de aço inoxidável (92,2% em massa). Devido a esta alta concentração de pó, os ensaios de injetabilidade realizados na injetora de alta pressão apresentaram valores elevados para as pressões de injeção, variando de 1641 a 2115 bars para que houvesse o preenchimento total das cavidades. O molde microusinado para os componentes da pinça se mostrou eficiente na fabricação dos componentes, porém apresentou dificuldades na extração das peças. Mesmo com a obtenção de todos os componentes a montagem da pinça não foi realizada, visto que as furações de montagem foram retiradas no projeto, consequentemente não foram usinados. Depois de microinjetados, os componentes da pinça foram sinterizados e apresentaram variação dimensional de 0,01 a 0,29 mm em relação às dimensões de projeto e variação na contração de 7,05 a 13,33%, diferentes dos 14,30% citados no catálogo do CATAMOLD® 316L A. / In this work the design and manufacture of four components of the biopsy forceps (ladle, fork, eight and rod), by metal powder injection molding was developed. The feedstock used in this work is known commercially as CATAMOLD® 316L A. Specimens were obtained by injection into a low-pressure injection molding machine for determining the amount of 316L stainless steel powder and binder system contained in the feedstock. Mouldability tests were performed to analyze the behavior of the feedstock in the injection process. The injection parameters (injection temperature, mold temperature and injection speed) and output variables (injection pressure, mass segregation between powder and binder system and density) were evaluated. The influence of injection parameters on the variables of injection was analyzed using the statistical design via Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), using the software Statgraphics® Centurion XV. The specimens obtained at low pressure injection showed high amount of stainless steel powder (92.2 wt%). Due to this high concentration of power, mouldability tests were performed in high-pressure injection showed high values for injection pressures ranging from 1641 to 2115 bars so that there was the complete filling of cavities. The micromachined mold for the components of the forceps proved efficient in the manufacture of components, but presented difficulties in the extraction of parts. Even with the obtaining of the all the components the biopsy forceps was not assembled, since the mounting holes were taken in the project, and therefore were not machined. After injected , the components of the forceps were sintered and showed dimensional variation from 0.01 to 0.29 mm in relation to project dimensions and variation in contraction from 7.05 to 13.33% , different from those 14.30% cited in the catalog of CATAMOLD® 316L A

O processo tradicional de fabricação de ímãs de terras raras – TR – é a metalurgia do pó convencional. Este processo inclui etapas de preparação da liga, moagem, compactação sob campo e sinterização. Atualmente, ímãs obtidos pelo processo de injeção tem como resultado os ímãs conhecidos como bonded, que são compósitos de resina e ligas magnéticas. O processo de obtenção proposto neste trabalho é a moldagem de pós por injeção – MPI, o que implica novos desafios uma vez que ligas de terras raras são altamente reativas. A obtenção de ímãs de Nd-Fe-B por esse processo fornece a oportunidade de diversificar ainda mais os setores, potencialmente lucrativos, que trabalham com materiais magnéticos. As dificuldades desse processo foram encontradas em cada etapa, desde a mistura da liga com os polímeros à eliminação destes polímeros depois de as peças serem injetadas, essa etapa se tornou crítica dado que está diretamente relacionada às propriedades finais do material. Assim, propuseram-se novos ciclos de extração dos polímeros com solventes orgânicos e degradação térmica. Além disso, modelou-se ferramental para o processo de injeção, uma vez que o material deve ser orientado magneticamente durante a injeção. Finalmente usou-se o MAXWELL 14® (software para análises por elementos finitos para resolução em 3D) para incluir propriedades no banco de dados do software e assim predizer o comportamento do material quando aplicado nas máquinas elétricas de núcleos com de formato complexo. / The typical magnets production process of Rare Earths – RE is the conventional powder metallurgy. This process includes preparation stages of alloys, grind, pressing under field and sintering. Nowadays, magnet obtained by the injection process has as result the magnets known as bonded, that is a resin composite and magnetic alloys. The proposed process to obtainment, in this work, is the Metal Injection Molding- MIM, what involve new challenges once alloys of RE are highly reactive. The magnets obtainment of ND-Fe-B for this process supplies even opportunity of diversifying the sectors, potentially lucrative, that work with magnetic materials. The difficulties of this process were found in each stage, since the alloy mixture with the polymers to the elimination of these polymers after the pieces are injected, this stage became criticizes given it is directly related to final properties of the material. This way if it propose to polymers extraction new cycles with organic solvents and thermal degradation. Moreover, it modeled die for the injection process, once the material should be guided magnetically during the injection. It finally used MAXWELL 14 ® (Software for analyses by finite elements for resolution in 3D) to include properties on the bench of data of the software and thus predict the material behavior when applied in cores of electrical machines with complex shape.

Neste trabalho foi estudado o processo de moldagem por injeção em baixa pressão (LPIM do inglês: low-pressure injection molding) de pós cerâmicos submicrométricos para a produção de molas cerâmicas. O trabalho compreende a confecção de moldes e pequenas injetoras de laboratório, extração dos ligantes orgânicos utilizados durante a moldagem, a sinterização das peças e alguns ensaios preliminares para avaliar as propriedades mecânicas de molas cerâmicas. A LPIM apresenta muitas vantagens na produção de peças cerâmicas complexas, quando comparada à moldagem por injeção tradicional. Entretanto LPIM apresenta alguns problemas na remoção da mistura de ligantes que são maiores quando se confecciona peças cerâmicas preparadas com pós submicrométricos. Mas, por outro lado, a utilização destes pós permite a obtenção de corpos sinterizados com alta densidade e excelentes propriedades mecânicas. Os pós cerâmicos utilizados foram a alumina (Al2O3) e a zircônia (ZrO2), e o ligante principal utilizado foi a parafina. Moldes tubulares e moldes usinados multipartidos foram desenvolvidos para moldagem por injeção de molas de alumina e uma pequena injetora foi construída para injetar peças de zircônia. Os moldes tubulares mostraram-se pouco adequados. Por outro lado, a utilização do molde de latão multipartido, revestido com PTFE (politetrafluoretileno), melhorou o processo de fabricação de molas cerâmicas, possibilitando a confecção de quantidades maiores e com boa reprodutibilidade. No processo de sinterização das molas cerâmicas as distorções foram evitadas utilizando cilindros cerâmicos como suporte das molas. As molas de alumina e zircônia tiveram suas densidades e durezas medidas e estão de acordo com a literatura. Finalmente, foram feitos alguns ensaios preliminares de compressão com molas cerâmicas de alumina e zircônia para avaliar sua constante de mola e a carga máxima suportada antes da quebra. / In this work the low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) of submicrometer-sized ceramic powders was studied aiming to produce ceramic springs. The work comprised the production of molds and laboratory equipment for injection molding, the debinding of the organic vehicle used in the molding, the sintering of ceramic parts, and some preliminary experiments to evaluate the mechanical properties of the ceramics springs. The LPIM presents many advantages for complex ceramic parts production, in comparison with traditional high-pressure injection molding. However, LPIM has some difficulties associated to the debinding step, that are even greater for ceramic parts made with submicrometer-sized powders. But, on the other hand, the use of submicrometer-sized powders allows the production of sintered bodies with high density and better mechanical properties. The submicrometer-sized ceramic powders used in this work were alumina (Al2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2), and the main binder was the paraffin. Tubular molds and a multipart machined mold were developed for injection molding of alumina springs, and a little injection machine was build for injection molding of zirconia parts. The tubular molds had a limited performance. On the other hand, the multipart brass mold, coated with PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene), improved the ceramics spring molding process, making it possible to produce ceramic springs in greater quantities with good reproducibility. In the sintering process of the ceramic springs, major distortions of the parts were avoided using ceramic beams to support the springs. The alumina and zirconia ceramic springs had their measured density and hardness in good agreement with literature. Finally, some preliminary compression tests were performed with alumina and zirconia ceramic springs in order to evaluate their spring constant and maximum load before failure.

L’incorporation de fibres végétales, différentes par leur origine, leur nature chimique et leur forme, a été effectuée dans deux matrices thermoplastiques : le poly(acide lactique) et la farine de blé thermoplastifiée. Ces deux matrices biodégradables et biosourcées ont elles aussi des natures chimiques et des propriétés thermo-mécaniques différentes. Des incorporations de fibres jusqu’à 40 % en poids ont permis de modifier considérablement les propriétés de base des matrices et d’améliorer certaines de leurs faiblesses (stabilité thermique, manque de rigidité…). Les fibres de miscanthus ont été sélectionnées comme étant les plus performantes pour l’amélioration des propriétés des deux matrices. Les propriétés des matériaux composites ont été ajustées par un travail sur la formulation du mélange (ajout de plastifiants) et l’optimisation du procédé complet, jusqu’au moulage par injection. L’incorporation des fibres dans un mélange compatibilisé des deux matrices a également été testée et réalisée en une seule étape d’extrusion, comprenant la plastification de la farine, le mélange des polymères et la dispersion des fibres. / Incorporation of vegetal fibres, differing by their source, their chemical composition and their shape, have been performed by twin screw extrusion in two thermoplastic matrices: the poly(lactic acid) and the thermoplastified wheat flour. These two biobased and biodegradable matrices have also different chemical character and thermo-mechanical properties. Fibre incorporation up to 40 % in weight considerably modified both matrix properties and improved several weaknesses (thermal stability, lack of stiffness…). Miscanthus fibres have been selected as best improvers for properties of both matrices. Materials properties were adjusted with a formulating work (addition of plasticizers) and whole process optimization, until injection-molding. Fibre incorporation in a compatibilized blend of the two matrices was also tested and performed in a one step extrusion process, including flour thermoplasticization, polymer blending and fibre dispersion.

Due to the rising demand of light-weight constructions as well as the conservation of resources, the density and weight of thermoplastic parts could be influenced significantly by using the thermoplastic foam injection molding process. The structure of the foam injection molded part, which typically means solid surface layers and a cellular core, usually results in a weight saving. Furthermore the materials structure leads to an increasing of the specific bending stiffness with a simultaneous low tendency to warp. The present study was aimed to analyze the interactions between microcellular structure, joining process and the resulting mechanical properties of the molded part. Therefore, the microcellular injection molding process (MuCell®) as well as the vibration welding were used. Whereas the established welding processes for solid injection molded parts have already achieved a high degree of perfection within the last decades, the joining of microcellular thermoplastics entails several specific characteristics, because the injection foaming process highly influences the basic material properties. In contrast to solid materials, the weld seam properties after joining are mainly affected by the design constraints of the microcellular structure.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier le comportement d’un mélange de fluide supercritique(diazote ou dioxyde de carbone) et de polyuréthane thermoplastique àl’état fondu lors de la mise en œuvre de butée d’attaques d’amortisseurs par le procédé d’injection Mucell®. Dans un premier temps, l’état de l’art a été développé dans une synthèse bibliographique qui a permis de décrire les principaux phénomènes intervenants lors de la transformation d’un mélange de fluide supercritique et de polymère en mousse micro-cellulaire. Puis, une étude à l’échelle laboratoire a permis de caractériser et de modéliser le comportement d’un polyuréthane thermoplastique mis en contact avec un fluide supercritique et de déduire les caractéristiques et les comportements essentiels à la compréhension des différents phénomènes rencontrés dans le procédé de mise en œuvre (diffusion, solubilité, nucléation...). Enfin, la dernière partie de ces travaux concerne la mise en application des connaissances précédemment acquise sur les moyens industriels dans le but de d’analyser et de stabiliser le moussage micro-cellulaire généré. / The aim of this thesis is to study the behavior of a supercritical fluid (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) and thermoplastic polyurethanemeltmix during the production of jounce bumpers by the MuCell® injection molding process. First of all, the state of the art was developed in a literature review which allowed to describe the main phenomena that occur during processing of a mixture of supercritical fluid and polymer in microcellular foam. Then, a study at the laboratory scale allowed to characterize and model the behavior of a thermoplastic polyurethane in contact with a supercritical fluid and deduct the characteristics and behaviors essential to the understanding of various phenomena encountered during the process(diffusion, solubility , nucleation...). Finally, the last part of this work concerns the implementation of previously acquired knowledge on industrial means in order to analyze and stabilize the generated microcellular foam.

The following paper will illustrate the development of a multiflex chain in hybrid construction. The aim of this novel chain variant is to improve the stiffness and strength in comparison to conventional plastic slide chains. A two part multiflex chain with a chain pitch of 33.5 mm and a structural width of 83 mm was used as the basis for the development of the hybrid multiflex chain. The hybrid multiflex chain is supposed to be integrated in already existing layouts of chain conveyors. The load bearing structure of the single chain links is manufactured in the metal die cast procedure while taking the constructive, production related, and operational aspects into consideration and subsequently covered in the injection molding process with plastics commonly used for multiflex chains. The evaluation of the improved stiffness and strength takes place in the course of extensive test series. / In der folgenden Abhandlung wird die Entwicklung einer Multiflex-Kette in Hybridbauweise erläutert. Mit dieser neuartigen Kettenvariante soll eine Steifigkeits- und Festigkeitssteigerung gegenüber den konventionellen Kunststoffgleitketten erzielt werden. Als Ausgangsbasis für die Entwicklung der hybriden Förderkette dient eine zweiteilig ausgeführte Multiflex-Kette mit der Teilung von 33,5 mm und einer Baubreite von 83 mm. Die hybride Förderkette soll in bestehende Layouts von Kettenförderern integriert werden können. Unter Beachtung konstruktiver, fertigungstechnischer und betrieblicher Aspekte wird die lasttragende Struktur der einzelnen Kettenglieder im Metalldruckgussprozess gefertigt und anschließend mit einem, für Multiflex-Ketten üblichen Kunststoff im Spritzgießprozess ummantelt. Die Evaluierung der Steifigkeits- bzw. Festigkeitssteigerung erfolgt im Rahmen umfangreicher Versuchsreihen.

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer composites formed via injection molding is of increasing interest due to their superior mechanical properties as compared to those of the polymer matrix alone. These mechanical properties, however, are strongly dependent on the fiber length and orientation distributions within a molded part. As such, there is a need to understand and model the orientation evolution of chopped fibers in flow in order to accurately simulate the final fiber orientation distribution within injection molded parts. As a result of this, accurate and reliable experimental measurement of fiber orientation is needed. Within this research, the application and validity of the Method of Ellipses for determining the orientation of long, semi-flexible glass fibers within injection molded composites has been investigated. A fiber suspension with an average length of approximately 3.9 mm was the focus of this study and assumed to be representative of commercial distributions. A novel method to quantify fiber curvature was developed and utilized to show that flexibility in center-gated disc and the end-gated plaque samples was minimal on average for the selected fiber length distribution. Thus, it was determined that the Method of Ellipses was applicable when utilized to obtain reliable orientation data for the selected long glass fiber suspension and within the chosen geometries that exhibit 1-, 2-, and 3-dimensional velocity fields. However, a modified image analysis width was found to be necessary in regions of highly aligned fibers, due to the increase in ellipse size and the need to reduce the number of partial objects and thus minimize error. This allowed for a direct comparison of the experimental orientation behavior of short and long glass fibers within the center-gated disc and the end-gated plaque, as well as the effect of the orientation distributions on the global modulus of the part. / Ph. D.

I have used computer simulations to investigate the behavior of polymeric materials at the molecular level. The simulations were performed using the molecular dynamics method with Lennard-Jones potentials defining the interactions between particles in the system. Significant effort was put into the creation of realistic materials on the computer. For this purpose, an algorithm was developed based on the step-wise polymerization process. The resulting computer-generated materials (CGMs) exhibit several features of real materials, such as molecular weight distribution and presence of chain entanglements. The effect of the addition of a liquid crystalline (LC) phase to the flexible matrix was also studied. The concentration and distribution of the second phase (2P) were found to influence the mechanical and tribological properties of the CGMs. The size of the 2P agglomerates was found to have negligible influence on the properties within the studied range. Moreover, although the 2P reinforcement increases the modulus, it favors crack formation and propagation. Regions of high LC concentration exhibit high probability of becoming part of the crack propagation path. Simulations of the tensile deformation under a uniaxial force have shown that the molecular deformation mechanisms developing in the material depend on several variables, such as the magnitude of the force, the force increase rate, and the level of orientation of the chains. Three-dimensional (3D) graphical visualization tools were developed for representation and analysis of the simulation results. These also present interesting educational possibilities. Computer simulations provide us information which is inaccessible experimentally. From the concomitant use of simulations and experiments, a better understanding of the molecular phenomena that take place during deformation of polymers has been established.