ADMIXED BINDERS AND LUBRICANTS IN CERAMIC POWDER PRESSING - A STUDY OF ZINC BEHENATE ADDITIVE

Admired lubricants are used to bring down compaction and ejection pres sures, and to increase packing efficiency in ceramic powder pressing. Admired binders are used for increasing green strength of the compact. The stronger and denser green compacts so obtained, sinter to high de nsities without defects and with minimal shrinkage, leading to very hi gh acceptance rates in large scale production. Zinc behenate powder ha s been used as a lubricant cum binder for uranium dioxide with very go od results. Green density versus compaction pressure has been obtained . Weight loss with temperature of free and admired zinc behenate and c arbon and zinc loss in admired compact and other data are presented. O n the other hand, the use of zinc behenate could lead to bloating and high nitrogen values in sintered uranium dioxide under some conditions of processing, which have been identified.