Graphite mold release agent, suppliers?

[rd400guy]

I'm having some concerns with non-metallic incusions entrapped during teeming of stainless steels. I'm considering replacing our standard powdered mold flux with a spray applied mold release, and purging with argon to prevent reoxidation during teeming. I've looked into boron nitride coatings, but BN will sublime at our temperatures (~2800F +), and may react with some of our steels. The other two options are zirconia refractory and graphite based. One of our refractory people had reservations about using the zirconia based, as it may flake off or spall and become entrapped as a non-met inclusion. Not to mention it's quite expensive.

Which brings us to graphite. I'm not worried about carbon pick-up since the grades we're interested in are not "L" grades. The problem I'm having is finding a supplier, and any technical info on spray-applied graphite. I'm figuring on using a water based product, applied to warm molds to drive off water and leave our graphite coating behind. I've come across one supplier that has products for the glass industry, and have tried to get some technical info, with little success. So, I'm back here.

Have any of you ever used graphite coatings for steel casting?

If so, where did you get the graphite?

And can anyone see any general problems with this idea that aren't apparent to me?

 

[unclesyd]

Here are two people that supplied us with colloidal graphite in water.

http://www.achesonindustries.com/

This one migh be of more interest.

http://www.lncolloids.com/chemical.htm