Description of Sand, Silica and Zircon Sands

In general, sand is described as mineral grains having a size of 0,05-2 mm. great majority of foundry
sands are in the form of SiO2. In some cases, additives such as mica, feldspat, ilmenite, magnetite,
zircon, olivine are added to SiO2 in very small amounts. The use of silica as molding materials in
foundry is attributed to several reasons such as ease of availability (can be found easily), low cost and
high resistance to liquid metal effects or refractoriness.

Another sand type used in foundry is zirconia or zircon sand. Zircon has high refractoriness, high heat
conductivity, high density and low thermal expansive values. Due to high thermal conductivity, metal
cast into molds made of zircon sands solidify faster. Density and heat conductivity of zircon is twice
as that of silica. This means that heat absorption capacity and conductivity of zircon is twice as that of
silica. These properties enables foundryman to control the solidification process, therefore zircon sand
can be used as chill and can provide economic advantages.

Bonding Materials

Bonding materials in foundry sands are divided into two categories: 1) Inorganic bonding agents, 2)
Organic bonding agents.

The most widely used inorganic bonding agents in foundry sand are clays; among those the most
widely preferred one is bentonite.

Bentonite contains 85-95 % montmorillonite minerals, it can change ions and has a very fine grain
size. It is a plastic clay with a chemical formula of 4(OH)4.Al4Si6O2.nH2O. Montmorillonite is a three
layers clay mineral. There is one aluminium layer between two silica layers. The width of layer is 100-
300 times the thickness. The high specific surface of montmorillonite increases its bonding ability.

Bentonites are divided into two groups depending on the changeable ions: 1) Na-bentonite, 2) Ca-
bentonite

Na bentonite is found less in the world and with the addition of water it expands 5-6 times in
comparison with the dry volume. Dues to these properties, it is preferred more than Ca bentonite. With
ion exchange, the calcium bentonite can be converted into sodium bentonite or vice versa (eg. With
soda activity Ca bentonite+Na2CO3 Na bentonite+CaCO3). As the exchangeable ions are located
outside the silica-alumina structure unit, the exchange reactions do not change the structure.
In addition to features listed above, the following properties must also be controlled strictly because
features 1 to 12 are determined by them.

13. Moisture content

14. Clay content

15. Grain/Particle shape, average size and size distribution

16. Purity

1. Green Strength

As it is described above, green strength is the strength values immediately agter adding water, mixing
and molding. This is the strength required during preparation of the mold and for maintaining the
shape of the mold cavity when the liquid metal is poured. Compressive strength (kg/cm2) is measured
on the standard test specimen.

The following factors control the green strength; 1) average particle size, 2) particle shape, 3) type and
amount of binder, 4) moisture (water) content and 5) particle size distribution range or packaging ratio.

 Decreasing sand particle size increases the strength because contact surface area of sand
increases with decreasing size.
 Round sand provides higher strength because of high packaging ratio.
 Increasing the amount of bonding agent increases the strength.
 The effect of bentonite and fire clay on green strength is shown in below figure.

Green strength first increases with increasing water content, then it starts to decrease with further
water content. The moisture that falls into increasing strength region is called as temper water and the
moisture that falls into decreasing strength region is called as free water.
2. Dry Strength

In general, the dry strength and the green strength of the molding sands are similarly affected by the
same factors.

3. Hot Strength

Hot strength is affected similarly by some factors listed above but there are some exemptions: in
literature sands having angular shape gives higher hot strengths.

4. Permeability

It is the spaces (pores) between the sand grains which provides permeability to mold sand. There are
five factors that controls the permeability; 1. Particle size, 2. Particle shape, 3. Bonding agent type and
its amount, 4. Water content and 5. Particle distribution range (DS-DL).

Permeability increases as the interlacing gap between the sand grains increases. The permeability is
expressed by a number associated with the rate of passage of air through the sand under standard
pressure.

 Decreasing particle size decreases permeability.

 Water up to a certain degree (temper water) increases the permeability, beyond this value it
reduces the permeability.
 Round grains/particles increases permeability because of the continuous nature of pores
(interconnected) in this type of sands. In the case of angular sands, pores are not connected
with each other and there are dead pores/pockets in the structure. Although it provides loose
packaging, permeability is lower than round grains.
 Bonding agents have very small particle size and fill the pores between sand grains thus
increasing amount of bonding agents decreases the permeability.
5. Particle Size

The effect of particle size of the molding sands was explained while other properties were examined.
Briefly, in the case of presence of certain amount of binder and moisture, fine sand will have higher
strength and it is less permeable than coarse sand. As the grains become finer, the casting surface will
be smoother. AFS No Calculation which is the measure of grain fineness is shown this chapter.

6. Clay Content

The effect of the type and amount of the binder added to the mold sands on the properties was
mentioned in the examination of the previous properties. The amount of clay in the mold sand is
measured by a standard experiment and the amount of AFS Clay is named. The amount is described as
particles that do not precipitate at the rate of more than 2.54 cm per minute in the suspension in water.
The particles in question include clay as well as fine silica and all constitute the total amount of AFS
clay.
Approximately 90% of the molding sands are retained on five or six adjacent sieves.