Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Ceramics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing of ceramics is limited by high temperature requirements and the difficulty of creating bulk ceramic composites due to issues like gas release leading to cracks and porosity, restricting the size and complexity of ceramic structures that can be produced.
Innovation Solution
The development of methods and processes using polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) that allow for the 3D printing of bulk ceramic and ceramic composite components at lower temperatures and shorter manufacturing intervals, involving the use of resin beads mixed with powders, photocurable or thermally curable resins, and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) techniques to produce dense, monolithic ceramic structures without the need for sintering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional sintering methods are used to densify ceramic particles, then ceramic components can be manufactured, but extreme temperatures in excess of 1600°C for long intervals are required which makes the process very energy intensive and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of ceramic manufacturing from particle sintering at 1600°C to direct solidification of liquid ceramic material at much lower temperatures. The liquid ceramic composition is deposited in layers and solidifies upon cooling, eliminating the need for extreme temperature sintering processes while achieving full densification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (high temperature sintering) with a different mechanism - direct liquid deposition and solidification. Instead of using heat to densify ceramic particles, the process uses controlled deposition of liquid ceramic material that solidifies to form dense ceramic structures at ambient or near-ambient temperatures.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer-derived ceramics are used for 3D printing, then ceramic structures can be created, but gas release during pyrolysis leads to cracks or pores which make direct conversion to dense ceramic virtually unachievable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic intermediate polymer stage entirely. Instead of using polymer-derived ceramics that require pyrolysis and suffer from gas release issues, the process directly deposits liquid ceramic material that solidifies without gas evolution, achieving both ease of manufacture and high density simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent abandons the polymer precursor approach (which creates temporary structures that must be pyrolyzed) in favor of direct liquid ceramic deposition. The liquid ceramic material serves its full purpose as the final ceramic structure without requiring removal of a temporary polymer framework, eliminating porosity and cracking issues.
3Ease of manufacture
If robocasting technique is used to deposit ceramic slurry, then green body can be produced, but the technique requires very high temperature heat treatment to densify to final ceramic which limits the composites that can be made
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the deposition medium from ceramic slurry (requiring high temperature sintering) to liquid ceramic material (solidifying at low temperatures). This parameter change enables the manufacturing of temperature-sensitive composites including metal-ceramic and polymer-ceramic combinations that would decompose or melt at traditional sintering temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables broader composite material ranges by using liquid ceramic deposition instead of slurry sintering. The process can incorporate metal particles, polymer fibers, and other temperature-sensitive materials within the liquid ceramic matrix, creating composite structures that would be impossible with traditional high-temperature sintering methods.
4Productivity
If UV light curable liquid polymer resins are used with patterned mask, then structures can be created 100 to 1000 times more rapidly, but the printed polymer structure is typically limited to fine features with less than approximately 3 mm in thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material state from photocurable polymer resin to liquid ceramic material. The liquid ceramic can be deposited in thick layers that solidify upon cooling, whereas UV-curable resins are limited to thin layers for proper light penetration and curing. This enables rapid manufacturing of both thin and thick ceramic structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production of strong, durable, solid, monolithic bulk ceramic composite structures with increased size and complexity, reducing manufacturing costs and time, and overcoming the limitations of traditional 3D printing techniques by allowing for non-destructive gas release and achieving full densification without porosity or cracks.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid ceramic material is deposited in layers and solidifies upon cooling to form solid ceramic structures
Implementation Method 2
involving the use of resin beads mixed with powders, photocurable or thermally curable resins, and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) techniques
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, processes, systems, devices and apparatus are provided for additive manufacture resulting in the 3D printing of novel ceramic composites. Additive manufacture or 3D printing of bulk ceramic and ceramic composite components occurs at considerably lower temperatures and shorter manufacturing intervals than the current state of the art. The methods, processes, systems, devices and apparatus and selection of precursor resins produce ceramic and ceramic composite material systems which have not been produced before by 3D printing.