Ceramic molds for manufacturing metal casting and methods of manufacturing thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a gel casting composition between an outer die and a wax pattern; wherein the wax pattern is a replica of a desired casting; reacting the gel casting composition to form a gel matrix; removing the wax pattern; extracting a solvent from the gel matrix to form a dried gel; and firing the dried gel to form a gel cast mold. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising disposing a gel casting composition between an outer die and a wax pattern; wherein the wax pattern is a replica of a turbine component; reacting the gel casting composition to form a gel matrix; removing the wax pattern; extracting a solvent from the gel matrix to form a dried gel; and firing the dried gel to form a gel cast mold.

1 . A method comprising: 
 disposing a gel casting composition between an outer die and a wax pattern; wherein the wax pattern is a replica of a desired casting;    reacting the gel casting composition to form a gel matrix;    removing the wax pattern;    extracting a solvent from the gel matrix to form a dried gel; and    firing the dried gel to form a gel cast mold.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the gel cast mold to mold castings.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wax pattern is a replica of a turbine component.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the turbine component is a stationary or rotating airfoil.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the turbine component is a seal, a shroud or a splitter.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gel casting composition comprises a monomer, a metal or ceramic powder and a solvent.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monomer comprises acrylic acid, methacrylamide, methacrylic acid, hydroxymethylacrylamide, n-metholoylacrylamide, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide, methoxy (polyethylene glycol) monomethacrylate, n-vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylamide, alkyl-acrylamide, alkyl-methacrylamide, alkyl-acrylate, alkyl-methacrylate, dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate, dimethyl aminopropyl methacrylamide, hydroxy-alkyl acrylamide, hydroxy-alkyl methacrylamide, hydroxy-alkyl acrylate, hydroxy-alkyl methacrylate, methacrylatoethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, methacrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, p-styrene sulfonic acid, p-styrene sulfonic acid salts, or a combination comprising at least one of the aforementioned monomers.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monomer comprises hydroxymethylacrylamide.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the metallic or ceramic particles have particle sizes of less than or equal to about 1,200 nanometers.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the metallic or ceramic particles have particle sizes greater than 1200 nanometers.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the solvent is water.  
   
   
       12 . An article manufactured by the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . A method comprising: 
 disposing a gel casting composition between an outer die and a wax pattern; wherein the wax pattern is a replica of a turbine component;    reacting the gel casting composition to form a gel matrix;    removing the wax pattern;    extracting a solvent from the gel matrix to form a dried gel; and    firing the dried gel to form a gel cast mold.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein removing the wax pattern is accomplished by melting the wax pattern.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein removing the wax pattern is accomplished by dissolution, abrasion and/or etching.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising removing the gel matrix from the outer die.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wax pattern is a replica of a stationary or rotating airfoil.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wax pattern is a replica of a seal, a shroud or a splitter.  
   
   
       19 . A turbine component manufactured by the method of  claim 13.