Specific interactions of low molecular weight analogues of carnauba wax and polyethylene glycol binders of ceramic injection moulding feedstocks

Abstract This paper is devoted to understanding of the molecular interactions between components of Ceramic Injection Moulding (CIM) binders – carnauba wax (CW) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Due to the complexity of interactions mechanisms the binders were substituted by their basic low-molecular analogues, which were then investigated using the combination of FTIR and calorimetry. Calorimetric analysis derived the self-interaction energies and association energies for the respective pairs. FTIR spectra were collected in the range of 400 to 4000 cm −1 for the analogue blends, where the shift of C=O and O–H stretch bounding peaks were assumed as the evidence of the presence of the partial interactions between the components. Combining obtained data a linear relation of these two independent analyses was found. The results proved reliable quantification of interactions between CW and PEG low molecular substitutes implying the partial miscibility of the respective polar polymers.