Ceramic Composite Resin Infiltration Fracture Toughness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing ceramic composite materials struggle to achieve both high fracture toughness and ease of processing, particularly in dental applications where precise molding is required, as they often result in non-uniform products and increased resistance to fracture, making it difficult to balance these antinomic properties.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic composite is produced by infiltrating a resin into a ceramic sintered body with a relative density of 40% to 90%, and intentionally leaving gaps to control fracture toughness, using a sintering temperature between -700°C and -100°C lower than the theoretical density temperature, allowing for improved processing and fracture resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high fracture toughness is achieved by increasing resin content, then resistance to fracture increases, but ease of processing deteriorates due to excessive resistance to external force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a non-uniform resin distribution within the ceramic composite. The resin is concentrated in specific regions (interstices between ceramic particles) rather than uniformly distributed throughout, providing localized toughness enhancement where needed while maintaining processing ease in other regions. This selective reinforcement resolves the contradiction between fracture toughness and ease of processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a porous ceramic structure with controlled void spaces that are partially filled with resin. The remaining porosity (10-50% void volume ratio) provides channels for resin infiltration and maintains flexibility during processing, while the resin-filled portions provide fracture toughness. This porous architecture enables both high fracture toughness and ease of processing.
2Strength
If ceramic content is increased to improve mechanical properties, then light weight and high strength are achieved, but product uniformity deteriorates and mass production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by precisely controlling the void volume ratio (10-50%) and resin infiltration conditions to achieve consistent composite properties. By defining specific parameter ranges for porosity, resin content, and sintering conditions, the method enables mass production of uniform ceramic composites with high mechanical properties, resolving the contradiction between strength and manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If complete resin infiltration is performed to maximize fracture toughness, then resistance to fracture increases, but processing flexibility is lost due to excessive rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by intentionally leaving 10-50% void volume unfilled with resin, rather than achieving complete infiltration. This partial resin placement provides sufficient fracture toughness while maintaining processing flexibility and ease of operation. The controlled under-infiltration resolves the contradiction between resistance to fracture and processing flexibility.
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 composites with enhanced fracture toughness and ease of processing, enabling precise and thin formations suitable for dental applications, with fracture toughness ranging from 0.11 to 0.21 MPam1/2 and thicknesses between 0.04 and 0.06 mm, while avoiding excessive resin usage.
Implementation Method 1
immersing a ceramic porous body having a relative density of 40% or more in a liquid resin, infiltrating the liquid resin into the ceramic porous body by vacuum treatment
Implementation Method 2
a ceramic sintered body obtained by being sintered at a temperature −700° C. or more and −100° C. or less lower than a sintering temperature at which a theoretical density is obtainable
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a ceramic composite and a production method therefor allowing ease of processing to be improved and fracture toughness to be improved simultaneously. The invention includes the steps of: preparing at least a liquid-form resin and a ceramic sintered body which has been sintered at a temperature which is 700° C. to 100° C. less than a sintering temperature at which a theoretical density is obtained; immersing the ceramic sintered body in the liquid-form resin, causing the liquid-form resin to infiltrate the ceramic sintered body; and hardening the infiltrated liquid-form resin to obtain a ceramic composite having a relative density of between 40% and 90% by causing the resin to infiltrate. Gaps where no resin has infiltrated are formed in the ceramic composite.