Articles
  • Identification of layer thickness and rheological properties of ceramic shell slurry of investment casting

  • Agus Edy Pramonoa,*, Arif Dermawanb and Nanik Indayaningsihc

  • aMagister Program in Applied Manufacturing Technology Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Jakarta, Jln. Prof. Dr. G.A. Siwabessy, Kampus UI. Depok 16425, Jawa-Barat, Indonesia
    bDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Jakarta Jln. Prof. Dr. G.A. Siwabessy, Kampus UI. Depok 16425, Jawa-Barat, Indonesia
    cResearch Centre for Physics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Kawasan Puspiptek, Gd. 440-442, Tangerang Selatan, Banten 15310, Indonesia

  • This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

This study explores the rheological behavior of slurries and the distribution of elements within investment casting molds, based on microstructural analysis. The rheological characteristics of ceramic shell slurry used in investment casting are examined through its microstructure. The uneven surfaces of sand grains promote mechanical interlocking at grain boundaries, leading to effective agglomeration of ceramic shells ideal for investment casting applications. The shell mold examined comprises aggregates such as stucco sand, mullite, and colloidal silica, which serve as inorganic binders on fungal shells. The colloidal silica observable in the image represents the slurry's rheological flow post-sintering. Its mechanical binding capabilities are evidenced by its interaction with aggregates featuring irregular surface textures. Acting as a binding agent, the slurry enables the formation of consolidated ceramic molds. Slurry rheology is influenced by its viscosity and the shear rate during flow between the aggregates. These factors, in turn, affect the slurry’s shear stress, which is governed by applied pressure and immersion depth. After sintering at 1050 °C, the ceramic shell displays its highest oxygen concentration, registering 56.11%, alongside silica at 20.91%, aluminum at 13.02%, and carbon at 9.10%.


Keywords: Rheology properties, Slurry shear stress, Slurry viscosity, Slurry shear rate, Investment casting.

This Article

  • 2025; 26(5): 734-741

    Published on Oct 31, 2025

  • 10.36410/jcpr.2025.26.5.734
  • Received on Jul 8, 2025
  • Revised on Sep 9, 2025
  • Accepted on Sep 10, 2025

Correspondence to

  • Agus Edy Pramono

  • Magister Program in Applied Manufacturing Technology Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Jakarta, Jln. Prof. Dr. G.A. Siwabessy, Kampus UI. Depok 16425, Jawa-Barat, Indonesia
    Tel : +62217863530 Fax: +62217863530

  • E-mail: agus.edypramono@mesin.pnj.ac.id