This paper presents the results of research which is part of studies carried out under the project POIG.01.01.02-00-015/09 "Advanced Materials and Technologies", one of the aims of which is to introduce new, environment-friendly, inorganic binders to the production of castings from non-ferrous metals. The paper presents the results of research on the management of waste moulding sands prepared according to the new technology, including their multiple reclamation and management of post-reclamation waste. Studies of multiple reclamation are a continuation of the preliminary research described earlier. The programme of the studies described in this paper also included validation of the results under industrial conditions.

In the family of iron-based alloys, ductile iron enjoys the highest rate of development, finding application in various industries. Ductile iron or the cast iron with spheroidal graphite can be manufactured by various methods. One of them is the Inmold spheroidization process characterized by different technological solutions, developed mainly to increase the process efficiency. So far, however, none of the solutions has been based on the use of a reactor made outside the casting mould cavity. The method of spheroidization inside the casting mould using a reaction chamber developed at the Foundry Research Institute is an innovative way of cast iron treatment. The innovative character of this method consists in the use of properly designed and manufactured reactor placed in the casting mould cavity. Owing to this solution, the Inmold process can be carried out in moulds with both horizontal and vertical parting plane. The study presents the results of examinations of the microstructure of graphite precipitates and metal matrix of castings after spheroidization carried out by the Inmold process using a reactor and mould with vertical parting plane. Special pattern assembly was made for the tests to reproduce plates with wall thicknesses of 3; 5; 7; 10; 20 and 30 mm. The content of residual magnesium was determined for all tested castings, while for castings of plates with a wall thickness equal to or larger than 10 mm, testing of mechanical properties was additionally performed.

One of the factors that contribute to the development of foundry moulding technology is environmental protection. The related challenges are effectively satisfied by a new inorganic binder that has been designed for castings made of non-ferrous metal alloys. This article presents in a concise way the test results, showing the ecological character of the new binder at the stage of making moulds, pouring them with metal and cooling of castings, indicating the possibilities for an economic re-use of waste materials formed during practical application of this technology. The results were compared with the results obtained on the sands with organic binders. Studies were carried out under the project POIG.01.01.02-00-015/09 "Advanced materials and technologies."

The results of mechanical reclamation of waste moulding sands with furfuryl resin and activators of new generation are presented.

The aim of the research described in this study was to determine what effect the addition of reclaim obtained in the process of dry mechanical reclamation could have on the properties of furan sands.

The sand supplied by one of the domestic foundries was after the initial reclamation subjected to a two-step proper reclamation

process. The following tests were carried out on the obtained reclaim: pH, S and N content, loss on ignition and comprehensive

sieve analysis. The obtained reclaim was next used as a component of moulding sands with furfuryl resin, wherein it formed 50%

and 80% of the base moulding material, respectively. The strength properties of the ready sand mixtures (bending strength Rg u and tensile strength Rm u ) were determined after the hardening time of 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 24 hours.

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 effectiveness of cast iron spheroidization with FeSiMg master alloy by the traditional method and using a reaction chamber placed in the cavity of foundry mould was compared. The method of cast iron treatment in mould cavity using a reaction chamber is an innovative technology developed by the Foundry Research Institute in Krakow. The effectiveness of the spheroidization process carried out by both methods was checked on a series of test castings. The article also presents the results of metallographic examinations and mechanical testing, including the discussion of magnesium yield and its assimilation rate.

Surface water retention of leaves and fruits of apple ( Malus domestica Borkh.) and sweet cherry ( Prunus avium L.), was evaluated under controlled environmental conditions in order to determine the retention potential at different growth stages. Dipping and spraying, with and without non-ionic surfactant, were used as application systems. Water retention was expressed as the ratio between the weight difference of the organ before and post application and organ weight before application. Leaf water retention by dipping was 62 and 64% for ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ apples, respectively, and 37 and 50% by spraying. The surfactant tended to reduce foliar water retention by spraying on both species. An exponential reduction of fruit water retention was observed during their growth. Fruit dipping generated the highest water retention, with values of 50% at the earliest stage. Then, water retention stabilized at 1–2%, when the apples and sweet cherries diameter reached 25 and 15 mm, respectively, despite dipping or spraying. The surfactant tended to increase water retention at early fruit stages and to reduce it with fruit growth. These results can be useful for estimating the potential residue on leaves and fruits in apple and sweet cherry trees, in both the orchard (spraying) and the packing house (dipping).