Low-pressure injection molding processing of a 316-L stainless steel feedstock

Abstract This paper describes the behavior of 316-L stainless steel low-pressure injection molded parts, under chemical or supercritical debinding conditions. The qualitative composition of this feedstock is 316-L stainless steel powder, ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), 140-macrocrystalline paraffin, carnauba wax and stearic acid. Thermogravimetric analyses were used to help determine the quantitative composition of the binder system, while the quantitative composition of feedstock was determined by knowing the critical loading of the mixture. The feedstock was molded by low-pressure injection molding in an MIGL-33 machine and submitted to immersion in liquid heptane or in carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions.