Stereolitography of ceramic suspensions

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 99 - 105
• Main Authors: GRECO, A, LICCIULLI, A, MAFFEZZOLI, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminosilicates; Aluminum silicates; Applied sciences; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Ceramics; Chemical industry and chemicals; Exact sciences and technology; Freeform fabrication; General studies; Laser sintering; Lithography; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Metal powders; Rapid prototyping; Technical ceramics; Three dimensional models; Complex shape; Sintering; Mechanical properties; Technical ceramics; Rapid prototyping; Manufacturing; Particle suspension
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1004899027360

The need of fast production of prototypes of complex shapes in very short time lead to the development in the last years of many additive rapid prototyping (RP) technologies for the production of single objects or of very limited series. The new fabrication concept allowed the construction of complex parts, starting from a 3D-CAD model, without using a mould. However, most of these additive processes produce polymeric objects and only recently the laser sintering of metal powders has been commercially introduced. In this work the production of ceramic objects by stereolithography is presented starting from the development of UV curable pre-ceramic suspensions for free form fabrication of alumino-silicate parts. The suspensions are characterized by 40%–50% by volume of powder content and by a reactivity and a viscosity compatible with their application in stereolithography. The ceramic green is built in a stereolithographic system operating with a He-Cd laser (325 nm). Then, the ceramic objects are obtained by pyrolisis of the organic binder and subsequent sintering of the green at 1600 °C. Finally, a characterisation of the mechanical properties and of the microstructure of the samples is presented.