3D Printed Ceramic Articles with Engineered Microstructures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D printing technologies for ceramics, such as binder jetting and robocasting, are limited in creating intricate internal patterns and achieving high-density, fine-resolution ceramic articles with textured microstructures.
Innovation Solution
The use of ceramic filaments with additives having an aspect ratio of at least 2:1, extruded and 3D printed via FDM, allowing for the formation of textured ceramic articles with aligned seed particles or fibers, which are then densified to achieve enhanced physical and chemical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If binder jetting is used to achieve complex geometries, then geometric complexity is improved, but internal pattern intricacy deteriorates due to entrapped powder
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state and flow characteristics of the ceramic material from a powder-binder system to a viscous slurry that can be extruded through a nozzle. The slurry's viscosity and shear-thinning properties enable it to flow during extrusion and then set upon deposition, allowing intricate internal patterns to be formed without powder entrapment issues
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the binder jetting mechanical system (which deposits liquid binder onto powder beds) with an extrusion-based system that pushes viscous slurry through a nozzle. This substitution enables continuous material deposition with precise control over internal geometries and patterns
2Shape
If robocasting is used to produce hollow honeycomb features, then internal structure complexity is improved, but resolution deteriorates to coarse quality
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the slurry viscosity and extrusion parameters to achieve fine-resolution deposition. By controlling the slurry's rheological properties and extrusion speed, the system can produce high-resolution features with smooth surfaces, eliminating the coarse quality associated with robocasting
3Shape
If robocasting is used to create hollow honeycomb features, then internal geometry is improved, but sintered density deteriorates preventing high density ceramics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the extrusion process parameters and slurry composition to produce densely packed green bodies with minimal porosity. The optimized extrusion conditions ensure complete filling of the deposited material, and the subsequent sintering process achieves high density ceramics while maintaining complex internal geometries
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
This method enables the production of ceramic articles with complex geometries and high-resolution, dense, textured microstructures that were previously unattainable, offering properties similar to single-crystal materials at a fraction of the cost.
Implementation Method 1
The ceramic slurry viscosity drops as it is sheared by the extrusion process. Once the paste is extruded, the shear stress on the material decreases, and the viscosity rises, returning the extrusion to a thick paste consistency.
Implementation Method 2
The nozzle is heated to melt the material, which hardens immediately after extrusion.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-dimensional (3D) printing composition includes ceramic filaments comprising an additive having an aspect ratio of at least 2:1. 3D printed ceramic articles include the ceramic filaments.