- 期刊
- OpenAccess
Determination of the Physio-Chemical Properties of Nigerian Acacia Species for Foundry Sand Binding Applications
並列摘要
Nigeria produces four grades of Acacia species in commercial quantities which are not used for local industrial applications but exported for foreign earnings. The grades 1 and 2 that are preferred by exporter countries are used in the pharmaceutical, confectionary, food, textile and beverage industries. Nigerian foundries use imported materials for binding their synthetic casting sands due to non development of locally available materials like Acacia species exudates. This research investigated physical and chemical properties of Nigerian Acacia species to determine its viability for binding sand. Standard experimental tests and equipment were used in laboratories of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology and National Research Institute for Leather Technology, Zaria to determine the melting point, optical rotation, specific gravity, water solubility, PH, moisture/volatile matter, metal/sulphate ion content and macro-structural analyses of each grade of the Nigerian Acacia species. In comparison with foundry requirements it satisfies major physiochemical properties desired of good sand binders. The material can be investigated further for mechanical properties as potential high quality sand binder for Nigerian foundries.