Effectiveness of Absorbing Microwaves by the Multimaterial Sodium Silicate Base Sand - PLA (Polylactide) Mould Wall Systems

In the paper presented are results of a research on effectiveness of absorbing electromagnetic waves at frequency 2.45 GHz by unhardened sodium silicate base sands (SSBS) prepared of high-silica base sand and a PLA (Polylactide) 3D-prited (3DP) mould walls. Measurements of power loss of microwave radiation (Pin) expressed by a total of absorbed power (Pabs), output power (Pout) and reflected power (Pref) were carried-out on a stand of semiautomatic microwave slot line for determining balance of microwave power emitted into selected multimaterial systems. Values of microwave power loss in the rectangular waveguide filled with unhardened moulding sands and prepared by fused deposition modelling (FDM) 5 mm polylactide (PLA) walls with grid infill density from 25% to c.a. 100% served for determining effectiveness of microwave heating. Balance of microwave power loss is of technological importance for microwave manufacture of high quality casting sand moulds and cores in possibility of use 3D-printed mould tools and core boxes. It was found that apparent density of SSBS placed in a waveguide with PLA walls influences parameters of power output (Pout) and power reflected (Pref). The PLA wall position and grid infill density were identified to have a limited effect on effectiveness of absorbing microwaves (Pabs).