Project: Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics Using SLA 3D Printing
A major challenge in ceramic manufacturing is the difficulty of processing these inherently brittle materials. Ceramics are difficult to machine and post-process, limiting their shapes to relatively simple geometries. This problem could be alleviated with additive manufacturing, specifically stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. By suspending a ceramic in a photopolymer resin and burning out the polymer after printing, dense ceramic parts with complex geometries can theoretically be achieved. The main problem with this is that photopolymer resins that are used for SLA printing must meet precise rheological and optical requirements for dense, accurate final parts. Adding in a solid ceramic material to a liquid photopolymer resin while still achieving these parameters is extremely difficult. The resin’s fluid flow, viscosity, and light permeability all change with the addition of a ceramic. The ceramic itself also must possess a specific particle size distribution and be paired with the correct dispersant to maintain a stable solution. My project focuses on understanding these parameters and the process of producing a dense, polymer-derived ceramic part. Ultimately, I aim to develop my own using a lab-provided ceramic.