AP-101 – Extractions of Binder from Powder Injected Metals Using Supercritical Fluids

AP-101 – Extractions of Binder from Powder Injected Metals Using Supercritical Fluids

Supercritical fluids and in particular supercritical carbon dioxide have shown to be a viable technology for a variety of extractions. While process conditions require high pressures, technological advances have now made it feasible to acquire such equipment for the undergraduate laboratory. One novel application we are currently investigating involves supercritical fluid extraction of organic binders from metal parts produced by powder injection molding (PIM). The initial proof-of-concept studies have been undertaken in our laboratory with bench top equipment manufactured by Supercritical Fluid Technologies, Inc.