The aim of the study was to determine the applicability of a new product added to water glass-containing foundry sands hardened with

ethylene glycol diacetate. The new additive designated by the symbol "B" is a composition of aqueous solutions of modified polyalcohols,

improving the sand knocking out properties. The scope of studies included testing various mechanical and technological properties

of foundry sand mixtures, such as permeability, friability, life cycle of cores and knocking out properties.

In the technological studies, two types of water glass with different values of the silica modulus and density, designated as R145 and R150,

were used. Moulding sands were prepared with the additive "B". For comparison, reference sands with water glass but without the additive

"B" were also made. In Part I of the article, the results of studies of the effect of additive "B" on the properties of foundry sands with water

glass hardened by CO2 blowing were discussed.

The presented in the paper investigations were aimed at the determination of the reclaimed material (obtained in the dry mechanical

reclamation process) addition influence on properties of moulding sands with hydrated sodium silicate modified by colloidal suspension

of zinc oxide nanoparticles in propanol. Nanoparticles originated from the thermal decomposition of alkaline zinc carbonate, were used.

The results of the reclamation of the spent moulding sand with hydrated sodium silicate performed in the AT-2 testing reclaimer are

presented in the paper. Both, spent sands from the Floster S technology and from the technology with the modified water-glass were

subjected to the reclamation processes. The following determinations of the reclaimed material were performed: pH reaction, acid demand,

ignition loss and Na2O content. The obtained reclaim was used as a matrix component of moulding sands with water-glass in the Floster S

technology, in which it constituted 60% and 50% of the sand matrix. The strength properties of the prepared moulding sands were

determined (bending strength Rg

u

, tensile strength Rm

u

) after samples storing times: 1h, 2h, 4h and 24 hours.

Ablation casting is a technological process in which the increased cooling rate causes microstructure refinement, resulting in improved mechanical properties of the final product. This technology is particularly suitable for the manufacture of castings with intricate shapes and thin walls. Currently, the ablation casting process is not used in the Polish industry. This article presents the results of strength tests carried out on moulding sands based on hydrated sodium silicate hardened in the Floster S technology, intended for ablation casting of the AlSi7Mg (AK7) aluminium alloy. When testing the bending and tensile strengths of sands, parameters such as binder and hardener content were taken into account. The sand mixtures were tested after 24h hardening at room temperature. The next stage of the study describes the course of the ablation casting process, starting with the manufacture of foundry mould from the selected moulding mixture and ending in tests carried out on the ready casting to check the surface quality, structure and mechanical properties. The results were compared with the parallel results obtained on a casting gravity poured into the sand mould and solidifying in a traditional way at ambient temperature.