Ceramic shell moulds with zircon filler and colloidal silica binder for investment casting of shrouded low-pressure turbine blades

Abstract Zircon (ZrO2.SiO2) powder filler and colloidal silica binder were used to prepare the ceramic shell moulds for investment casting of shrouded low-pressure turbine blades (LPTB). Ceramic slurries were prepared by using two types of colloidal silica binders (polymer-free binder A and polymer-containing binder B). The samples prepared from binder B showed lesser self-load sag values than those developed from binder A. Ceramic shell moulds made from an optimized slurry composition (having binder A) yielded aeronautical grade casting of blades at 1500 °C with required dimensional accuracy and average surface roughness (Ra). The blades cast from shell moulds (having binder B) showed dimensional accuracy at 1500 °C as well as at 1525 °C. The Ra values of blades cast at 1500 °C and 1525 °C by using shell system with binder B were observed to be higher than those cast from shell system having binder A.