CO2 –MOLDING PROCESS

Need for CO2 Molding

 Mold or Core must have sufficient hardness and
strength in both dry and green state,
 Have good permeability,
 Withstand high temperature,
 Same times need good collapsibility, specially for
core
 Molding should be done with less effort, skill, time
and expenses.
Introduction
 Carbon-dioxide Molding process commonly called
as CO2 molding was introduced in mid 1950’s
 Here, the hardening of molding or core sand is
done by gassing with carbon- di-oxide.
 Now a days, the process has been adopted on a
wide scale for modern core-making and mold
making
Principle of working
 Highly flowable mixture of pure dry silica and
sodium silicate binder is rammed in core or mold
box.
 CO2 gas at a pressure of 1.5kg/cm2 is diffused
through the mixture to initiate the hardening
reaction.
 Reaction produce Carbonic acid in acqueous
solution cause a rise in Sio2-Na2O ratio,
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 Colloidal silica gel is formed, which hardens and
forms a bond between sand grains.
Na2Sio3+CO2 Na2CO3+SiO2
 Reaction proceeds rapidly in early stages,
 Beyond the maximum point, strength of the bond
impaired.
Sand used for molding
 Mold material consists of
 Pure dry silica sand,
 3 to 5% sodium silicate liquid based binder,

 Moisture is generally 3%,

 Same amount of starch or clay may be added to

improve green strength,
 Sodium silicate may contain additives such as sugars
to help to improve collapsibility.
Method of gassing mold and core

Single Probe. Cover board or hood

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Multi probe and manifold Gassing after drawing out pattern

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Gassing previously stripped cores Gassing through hollow pattern

Advantages
 Low raw material cost and high production rate,
 Core baking is not required,
 Semi-skilled workers can handle,
 Same sand can used for both mold and core,
 Casting with improved finish and dimensional
accuracy can be obtained,
 Fast operation hence storage space is saved.
Disadvantages
 Difficult to reclaim the sand
 Poor collapsibility due to inorganic nature of bond
 Moisture susceptibility of CO2 cores.
 Mold or core tends to air hardened if kept in air for
longer time.
 Less suitable for non-ferrous and small and thin
walled casting
Applications
 Making longer core and in jobbing foundries for
heavy ferrous casting.
 Employed to producing cores for iron, aluminium
and copper base alloy casting
 Heavy and thick walled steel casting
Thank you