The article deals with the gas development of the geopolymer binder system hardened by heat and provides the comparison with organic binder systems. The GEOPOL® W technology is completely inorganic binder system, based on water. This fact allow that the gas generated during pouring is based on water vapour only. No dangerous emissions, fumes or unpleasant odours are developed. The calculated amount of water vapour generated from GEOPOL® W sand mixture is 1.9 cm3/g. The measured volume of gas for GEOPOL® W is 4.3 cm3/g. The measurement of gas evolution proves that the inorganic binder system GEOPOL® W generates very low volume of gas (water vapour) in comparison with PUR cold box amine and Croning. The amount of gas is several times lower than PUR cold box amine (3.7x) and Croning (4.2x). The experiment results are consistent with the literature sources. The difference between the calculated and the measured gas volume is justified by the reverse moisture absorption from the air after dehydration during storing and preparing the sand samples. Minimal generated volumes of gas/water vapour brings, mainly as was stated no dangerous emissions, also the following advantages: minimal risk of bubble defects creation, the good castings without defects, reduced costs for exhaust air treatment, no condensates on dies, reduced costs for cleaning.

In sand moulds, at a distance of 3 mm from the metal- mould interface, the sensors of temperature, and of oxygen and hydrogen content were installed. Temperature and the evolution of partial gas pressure have been analysed in moulds bonded with bentonite with or without the addition of seacoal, water glass or furan resin. Moulds were poured with ductile iron. For comparison, also tests with the grey iron have been executed. It was found that the gas atmosphere near the interface depends mainly on the content of a carbonaceous substance in the mould. In the green sand moulds with 5% of seacoal or bonded with furan resin, after the mould filling, a sudden increase in the hydrogen content and the drop of oxygen is observed. This gas evolution results from the oxidation of carbon and reduction of water vapour in the mould material, and also from the reduction of water vapour and alloy reoxidation. In carbon-free sand, the evolution in the gas composition is slower because water vapour is reduced only at the interface. Changes of oxygen and hydrogen content in the controlled zone are determined by the transport phenomena.

The new investigation method of the kinetics of the gas emission from moulding sands used for moulds and cores is presented in this

paper. The gas evolution rate is presented not only as a function of heating time but also as a function of instantaneous temperatures. In

relation to the time and heating temperature the oxygen and hydrogen contents in evolving gases was also measured. This method was

developed in the Laboratory of Foundry Moulds Technology, Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH. Gas amounts which are emitted from

the moulding sand at the given temperature recalculated to the time unit (kinetics) are obtained in investigations. Results of investigations

of moulding sand with furan resin are presented - as an example - in the paper.