in this composite compound is from the group of polysaccharides known as agaroids such as agar agarose or mixtures thereof this type of binder is water soluble and provides excellent flow characteristics and rapid gelation within a specific temperature range important attributes that can dramatically increase the production rate of articles by the injection molding process ceramic powder is added to the mixture in the form of oxides carbides nitrides borides and suicides or combinations of two or more of these ranging from about 0 1 to greater than 99 vol a preferred range is from about 15 to 75 vol and the most preferred range is from about 15 to 40 vol water is conveniently and advantageously used as a liquid carrier for the solid constituents in the mixture to facilitate transport of the feedstock material along the barrel of an injection molding machine to the mold within the machine water is also a solvent for the gel forming agaroid binder and because of its relatively low boiling point it is easily removed from the molded part prior to and or during sintering the required amount of water to be added to the molding compound is dependent on the desired theological characteristics for optimum behavior of the composite material during the injection molding process according to the present invention the required amount of water in the formulation is between about 5 to 30 wt of the mixture with amounts between about 8 to 20 wt being preferred small amounts of other additives may also be added to the mixture to serve a number of useful purposes such as gel strength enhancing agents and additives.