The article presents the directions of foundry waste management, mainly used for spent foundry sands (SFS) and dust after the reclamation of this waste. An important aspect of environmental protection in foundry production is the reduction of the amount of generated waste as a result of SFS regeneration. The advantage is the reuse of waste, which reduces the costs of raw materials purchase and environmental fees for landfilling. Non -recycled spent foundry sands can be used in other industries. SFS is most often used in road and construction industries as well as inert material in closed mines (Smoluchowska and Zgut 2005; Bany-Kowalska 2006). An interesting direction of using SFS is its application in gardening and agriculture. The article presents the advantages and disadvantages of such use. It was found that spent foundry sands can be useful for the production of soil mixtures for many agricultural and horticultural applications. Due to the possibility of environmental pollution with heavy metals and organic compounds, such an application is recommended for the so-called green sands, i.e. SFS with mineral binders. In addition, an innovative solution for the energy use of dusts after spent foundry sands reclamation with organic binders has been discussed and proposed by some researchers. It was shown that dust from reclaimed SFS with organic binders can be used as an alternative fuel and raw material in cement kilns, due to the high percentage of organic substances which determine their calorific value and silica.

The research paper presents the results of testing the strength and technological properties of molding sand with gypsum binder, the bonding process proceeded: naturally or conventionally. The tests included mass containing (parts by weight): 78 pbw. Grudzeń-Las quartz sand, 22 pbw. plaster gypsum "Dolina Nidy” and 9 pbw. water. Measurements of compressive strength, shear, tensile and bending as well as permeability and looseness were carried out on standard cylindrical samples kept in the air for 1 - 96 hours or dried at 110 oC for 1 - 8 hours. The results of the analysis were analyzed in connection with the mass structure and construction binding bridges warp grains observed with a scanning microscope (SEM). The influence of drying intensity on the bonding process and related mass properties has been demonstrated, especially from the point of view of the possibility of selection and / or intensification of a specific curing method for use in the production of gypsum binger molds and cores.

The intercalation into interlayer spaces of montmorillonite (MMT), obtained from natural calcium bentonite, was investigated. Modification of MMT was performed by the poly(acrylic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium salt (co-MA/AA). Efficiency of modification of MMT by sodium salt co-MA/AA was assessed by the infrared spectroscopic methods (FTIR), X-ray diffraction method (XRD) and spectrophotometry UV-Vis. It was found, that MMT can be relatively simply modified with omitting the preliminary organofilisation – by introducing hydrogel chains of maleic acid-acrylic acid copolymer in a form of sodium salt into interlayer galleries. A successful intercalation by sodium salt of the above mentioned copolymer was confirmed by the powder X-ray diffraction (shifting the reflex(001) originated from the montmorillonite phase indicating an increase of interlayer distances) as well as by the infrared spectroscopy (occurring of vibrations characteristic for the introduced organic macromolecules). The performed modification causes an increase of the ion exchange ability which allows to assume that the developed hybrid composite: MMT-/maleic acid-acrylic acid copolymer (MMT-co- MA/AA) can find the application as a binding material in the moulding sands technology. In addition, modified montmorillonites indicate an increased ability for ion exchanges at higher temperatures (TG-DTG, UV-Vis). MMT modified by sodium salt of maleic acid-acrylic acid copolymer indicates a significant shifting of the loss of the ion exchange ability in the direction of the higher temperature range (500–700°C).

The paper presents the preliminary results of research on determining the possibilities of using available on the market commercial gypsum kinds as a binder for foundry moulding and core sandmixes. Construction gypsum and plaster gypsum, finishing coat and jewelry casting gypsum were tested. Elemental composition of gypsum kinds were carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with EDS/EDX probe, their crystal structure and phase composition was determined by analyzing the results of X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and thermogravimetric studies (TG-DTA). Evaluation of the mechanical properties of selected materials was carried out at the tensile strength test of the dog-bone samples after initial hardening of gypsum mortar at 25 °C for 5 h and drying at 110 °C for 24 hours. The impact of the properties of the used commercial gypsum kinds on the possibility of their use as a valuable binders in the manufacture of the foundry sandmixes for moulds and cores was evaluated. Construction gypsum and finishing coat have the highest tensile strength. Plaster gypsum and finishing coat have the longest setting time. In all tested types of gypsum, the initial water loss during heating occurs at a temperature of about 200 °C. The lowest valuable properties as a binder for sand moulding mixtures has jewelry casting gypsum mass.

This paper focuses on the thermal behavior of the starch-based binder (Albertine F/1 by Hüttenes-Albertus) used in foundry technology of molding sand. The analysis of the course of decomposition of the starch material under controlled heating in the temperature range of 25-1100°C was conducted. Thermal analysis methods (TG-DTG-DSC), pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRIFT) were used. The application of various methods of thermal analysis and spectroscopic methods allows to verify the binder decomposition process in relation to conditions in the form in both inert and oxidizing atmosphere. It was confirmed that the binder decomposition is a complex multistage process. The identification of CO2 formation at set temperature range indicated the progressive process of decomposition. A qualitative evaluation of pyrolysis products was carried out and the course of structural changes occurring in the presence of oxygen was determined based on thermo-analytical investigations the temperature of the beginning of binder degradation in set condition was determined. It was noticed that, significant intensification of Albertine F/1 sample decomposition with formation of more degradation products took place at temperatures above 550ºC. Aromatic hydrocarbons were identified at 1100ºC.

The paper presents the results of preliminary research on the application of olivine moulding sands with hydrated sodium silicate containing 1.5 % wt. of binder to perform ecological casting cores in hot-box technology using a semi-automatic core shooter. The following parameters were used in the process of core shooting: initial shot pressure of 6 bar, shot time 3 s, the temperature of the corebox: 200, 250 and 300 °C and the core curing time: 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 s. The matrix of the moulding mixture was olivine sand, and the binder of the sandmix was commercial, unmodified hydrated sodium silicate with molar module SiO2/Na2O of 2.5. In one shot of the automatic core-shooter were formed three longitudinal specimens (cores) with a dimensions 22.2×22.2×180 mm. The samples obtained in this way were subjected to the assessment of the influence of the shooting parameters, i.e. shooting time, temperature and curing time in core-box, using the following criteria: core box fill rate, mechanical strength to bending Rg U, apparent density, compaction degree and susceptibility to friability of sand grains after hardening. The results of trials on the use of olivine moulding sands with hydrated sodium silicate (olivine SSBS) in the process of core shooting made it possible to determine the conditions for further research on the improvement of inorganic hot-box process technology aimed at: reduction of the heating temperature and the curing time. It was found that correlation between the parameters of the shooting process and the bending strength of olivine moulding sands with sodium silicate is observed.

The article presents investigation results of the effect of sand fluidization on the structure and mechanical properties of AlSi9 aluminum alloy. Castings were made by lost foam casting process with sand fluidization in mold at the stages of their solidification and cooling. Sand fluidization was achieved by blowing sand bed with compressed air in a foundry container. The metallographic study was carrying out on samples cut from different sections of the castings. Mechanical properties were determined on specimens made from cast samples. Microstructural analysis showed that sand fluidization increases the cooling rate, as a result, the main microstructural components of the alloy – SDAS, eutectic silicon and needles of the rich-iron phase – decrease. Moreover, in different sections of the casting structure is more uniform. With an increasing the air flow rate, a greater refinement of the structure is observed. Through the use of sand fluidization, the mechanical properties of LFC aluminum alloys increase to the level of gravity die castings.

In this work, the influence of microwave drying parameters such as irradiation time and microwave power level on the properties of synthetic moulding sands is presented. Determination of compressive strength Rc s, shear strength Rt s and permeability Ps of synthetic moulding sands with the addition of two different bentonites, after drying process with variable microwave parameters were made. The research works were carried out using the microwave oven with regulated power range of the electromagnetic field. From the results obtained, the significant influence of both drying time and microwave power level on the selected properties of moulding sands was observed. In comparison to the conventional drying method, microwave drying allows to obtain higher compressive strength of the synthetic moulding sand. The influence of application microwave irradiation on permeability was not observed. Higher strength characteristics and shorter drying time are major advantages of application of the electromagnetic irradiation for drying of the synthetic moulding sand with regard to conventional drying method.