AQUEOUS MOLDING COMPOSITIONS FOR POWDERS OF STAINLESS STEEL, INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS AND/OR METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES

摘要

Molding compositions for shaping parts from stainless steel powders are disclosed. The process comprises the steps of forming a mixture comprising at least one of stainless steel powder, intermetallic compounds, components of metal matrix composites and a gel-forming material having a gel strength, measured at a temperature between 0 DEG C and about 30 DEG C and a gel comprising about 1.5 wt.% of the gel-forming material and water, of at least about 200 g/cm<2>, and water, and molding the mixture at a temperature sufficient to produce a self-supporting article comprising the powder and gel. The preferred gel-forming material is an agaroid and the preferred molding process is injection molding.