Micro-Powder Injection Moulding (Micro-PIM) technology is one of the key technologies that permit to fit with the increasing demands for smaller parts associated to miniaturization and functionalization in different application fields. The thesis focuses first on the elaboration and characterization of polymer-powder mixtures based on 316L stainless steel powders, and then on the identification of physical and material parameters related to the sintering stage and to the numerical simulations of the sintering process. Mixtures formulation with new binder systems based on different polymeric components have been developed for 316L stainless steel powders (5 µm and 16 µm). The characterization of the resulting mixtures for each group is carried out using mixing torque tests and viscosity tests. The mixture associated to the formulation comprising polypropylene + paraffin wax + stearic acid is well adapted for both powders and has been retained in the subsequent tests, due to the low value of the mixing torque and shear viscosity. The critical powder volume loading with 316L stainless steel powder (5 µm) according to the retained formulation has been established to 68% using four different methods. Micro mono-material injection (with 316L stainless steel mélange) and bi-material injection (with 316L stainless steel mélange and Cu mélange) are properly investigated. Homogeneity tests are observed for mixtures before and after injection. A physical model well suited for sintering stage is proposed for the simulation of sintering stage. The identification of physical parameters associated to proposed model are defined from the sintering stages in considering 316L stainless steel (5 µm)mixtures with various powder volume loadings (62%, 64% and 66%). Beam-bending tests and free sintering tests and thermo-Mechanical-Analyses (TMA) have also investigated. Three sintering stages corresponding to heating rates at 5 °C/min, 10 °C/min and 15 °C/min are used during both beam-bending tests and free sintering tests. On basis of the results obtained from dilatometry measurements, the shear viscosity module G, the bulk viscosity module K and the sintering stress σs are identified using Matlab® software. Afterwards, the sintering model is implemented in the Abaqus® finite element code, and appropriate finite elements have been used for the support and micro-specimens, respectively. The physical material parameters resulting from the identification experiments are used to establish the proper 316L stainless steel mixture, in combination with G, K and σs parameters. Finally, the sintering stages up to 1200 °C with three heating rates (5 °C/min, 10 °C/min and 15 °C/min) are also simulated corresponding to the four micro-specimen types (powder volume loading of 62%, 64% and 66%). The simulated shrinkages and relative densities of the sintered micro-specimens are compared to the experimental results indicating a proper agreement

Le micro-moulage par Injection de Poudres (Micro-PIM) est l’une des technologies permettant de réaliser des micro-composants de très petites dimensions, associés à la miniaturisation et la fonctionnalisation dans différents domaines d’applications. La thèse concerne l’élaboration et la caractérisation de mélanges basés sur des poudres d’acier inoxydable de type 316L, l’identification des paramètres physiques associés à l’étape de densification est traitée. Des modélisations physiques et des simulations numériques de l’étape de densification par diffusion à l’état solide, sont ensuite proposées.De nouvelles formulations de mélanges à base de liants polymériques ont été développées pour différentes granulométries de poudres d’acier inoxydable de type 316L (5 µm et 16 µm). Les différents mélanges élaborés ont été élaborés et validés grâce à des comparatifs entre couples de mélangeages et courbes de viscosité de cisaillement. Les mélanges élaborés avec une formulation de base composée de polypropylène, de cire paraffine et d’acide stéarique, sont adaptés pour les deux types de poudre, et conduisent à des résultats significatifs pour les différents tests réalisés, conduisant à un couple de mélangeage et à une viscosité de cisaillement relativement faibles par rapport aux autres formulations. Le taux de charge critique obtenu pour l’acier inoxydable 316L (5 µm), avec la formulation optimale, est de 68% et a été déterminé par différentes méthodes. Les essais de micro-injection pour le mono-matériau (316L mélange) et les bi-matériaux (mélange de 316 L et Cu) ont été analysés en détail. Des tests d’homogénéité ont été réalisés avant et après l’étape d’injection.Un modèle thermo-élasto-viscoplastique approprié pour modéliser l’étape de densification a été utilisé pour la simulation de la densification des micro-composants. Les paramètres d’identification du modèle physique ont été identifiés pour des mélanges de poudres d’acier 316L (5 µm), pour différents taux de charge (62%, 64% et 66%). Des essais de flexion 3 points et de compression ont été réalisé à l’intérieur d’un dilatomètre vertical avec trois cinétiques de densification (5 °C/min, 10 °C/min et 15 °C/min). Les résultats obtenus par dilatométrie, ont permis l’identification du module de viscosité de cisaillement G, du module de compressibilité K, et de la contrainte de densification σs, Le modèle de comportement associé à la densification, incluant les paramètres identifiés a été implémenté dans le code éléments finis Abaqus©. Des éléments finis adaptés ont été utilisés, tant pour le support, que les quatre micro-éprouvettes de référence. Les simulations de l’étape de densification pour trois différentes cinétiques (5 °C/min, 10 °C/min et 15 °C/min) à 1200°C, ont été réalisées pour l’ensemble des micro-composants dont les taux de charge correspondent respectivement à 62%, 64% et 66%. Les retraits et densités relatives des micro-composants obtenus par simulation sont en très bonne corrélation avec les résultats expérimentaux / Micro-Powder Injection Moulding (Micro-PIM) technology is one of the key technologies that permit to fit with the increasing demands for smaller parts associated to miniaturization and functionalization in different application fields. The thesis focuses first on the elaboration and characterization of polymer-powder mixtures based on 316L stainless steel powders, and then on the identification of physical and material parameters related to the sintering stage and to the numerical simulations of the sintering process. Mixtures formulation with new binder systems based on different polymeric components have been developed for 316L stainless steel powders (5 µm and 16 µm). The characterization of the resulting mixtures for each group is carried out using mixing torque tests and viscosity tests. The mixture associated to the formulation comprising polypropylene + paraffin wax + stearic acid is well adapted for both powders and has been retained in the subsequent tests, due to the low value of the mixing torque and shear viscosity. The critical powder volume loading with 316L stainless steel powder (5 µm) according to the retained formulation has been established to 68% using four different methods. Micro mono-material injection (with 316L stainless steel mélange) and bi-material injection (with 316L stainless steel mélange and Cu mélange) are properly investigated. Homogeneity tests are observed for mixtures before and after injection. A physical model well suited for sintering stage is proposed for the simulation of sintering stage. The identification of physical parameters associated to proposed model are defined from the sintering stages in considering 316L stainless steel (5 µm)mixtures with various powder volume loadings (62%, 64% and 66%). Beam-bending tests and free sintering tests and thermo-Mechanical-Analyses (TMA) have also investigated. Three sintering stages corresponding to heating rates at 5 °C/min, 10 °C/min and 15 °C/min are used during both beam-bending tests and free sintering tests. On basis of the results obtained from dilatometry measurements, the shear viscosity module G, the bulk viscosity module K and the sintering stress σs are identified using Matlab® software. Afterwards, the sintering model is implemented in the Abaqus® finite element code, and appropriate finite elements have been used for the support and micro-specimens, respectively. The physical material parameters resulting from the identification experiments are used to establish the proper 316L stainless steel mixture, in combination with G, K and σs parameters. Finally, the sintering stages up to 1200 °C with three heating rates (5 °C/min, 10 °C/min and 15 °C/min) are also simulated corresponding to the four micro-specimen types (powder volume loading of 62%, 64% and 66%). The simulated shrinkages and relative densities of the sintered micro-specimens are compared to the experimental results indicating a proper agreement