EFFECT OF WASTE RUBBER BINDER ON SINTERED PROPERTIES OF 316L SS FOR METALLIC IMPLANT PARTS

This paper studies the influence of waste rubber binder on the properties of injection moulded 316L stainless steel. The new feedstock was formulated at volume fraction of 65% of metal powder and 35% of binder system. Powder with mean particle size of 45 µm was mixed with binder system and then successfully injection moulded.  The samples were immersed in n-heptane for 5 hours at temperature of 60⁰C. Thermal debinding process was carried out to remove the remaining binders. The specimens were then sintered in vacuum condition at different temperature ranges of 1320⁰C to 1380⁰C. The properties of the sintered samples were evaluated. The sintered density recorded from 7.31 g/cm 3 to 7.62 g/cm 3 at 30 minutes and 60 minutes of soaking time. At temperature of 1360⁰C, the maximum tensile strength of 475.5 MPa attained and the highest hardness was obtained at 265 Hv.