National Taiwan University researchers have developed an ultrahigh-solid-loading (83 vol%) yet highly flowable suspension for 3D printing that produces ceramic parts with extremely low shrinkage and 100% density, overcoming a major barrier in precision ceramic manufacturing.
3D printing has expanded the possibilities for creating ceramic components with complex shapes, but a long-standing challenge has limited its use in high-precision applications. During high-temperature processing, printed ceramics shrink significantly and lose dimensional accuracy because of removal of large amounts of polymer binder. Often, this binder burnout leads to deformation and defects in the final ceramic parts.
A research team at National Taiwan University (NTU) has now developed a promising strategy that overcomes the long-standing problem. By designing a highly concentrated suspension for 3D printing, the team successfully produced ceramic parts that shrink by less than 6.5% after sintering—setting a new benchmark for dimensional accuracy in 3D-printed ceramics. The study is published in Additive Manufacturing.
The breakthrough comes from packing an exceptionally high amount of ceramic particles into a photocurable resin while maintaining smooth flow during 3D printing. By carefully tuning particles-resin compatibility and optimizing the particle size distributions to pack more efficiently, the researchers created an ultrahigh-solid-loading suspension containing 83% ceramic that still flows smoothly for reliable 3D printing.
Because the printed green parts composed of only 17% polymer, far less material will be removed during heating, greatly reducing shrinkage in the final ceramic components. The complex ceramic parts, such as turbine-like structures, reached nearly full density and retained intricate features with remarkable precision.
"This strategy represents a major milestone in ceramic 3D printing," says co-corresponding author Dr. Ying-Chih Liao, professor of chemical engineering at National Taiwan University. "For the first time, precision and complexity can be achieved together by integrating material design, printing, and heat treatment into a unified strategy."
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