Here are some pictures of different objects that were printed using a 0.60 mm nozzle. In the first picture, you can see a grid structure. The second picture shows a structure with a discrete gradient pattern. The third picture displays a spring-shaped object made of green material. And in the fourth picture, you can see a sintered spring. The colored ceramic slurry used in these prints contained specific ingredients like iron red, chromium green, or 3% yttrium stabilized zirconia, which gave them their colors. The scale bar in the pictures represents a measurement of 5 mm. — 3d Printing Ceramic Slurry

3D printing with Ceramic slurries

By Tomiwa Ogunrinde Last updated Jun 17, 2023

Did you know that 3D printing is becoming more accessible and affordable?

While printing in various plastics or resin is relatively easy and inexpensive, printing in other materials can be more complex.

There are printers available for metals and even concrete, but they tend to be much more expensive compared to their plastic counterparts. However, ceramic, as a material for 3D printing, has remained a challenge. But fear not, because exciting advancements are being made in this field!

A ceramic slurry is typically used as the print media for printing on ceramic,

and then the slurry is cemented using ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

However,

a major drawback of UV radiation is that it doesn’t permeate the slurry thoroughly,

leading to inadequate curing, particularly around support structures. This may cause issues and degrade the prints’ quality. Fortunately, a group of Jiangnan University researchers has achieved important strides by using near-infrared (NIR) light to cure ceramic patterns.

By using NIR light, the team was able to achieve better curing by allowing the energy to penetrate further into the ceramic material. This breakthrough greatly reduces or even eliminates the need for support structures during printing. The full details of this innovative method can be found in the paper published in Nature.

Although this new technology is a promising development,

it may take some time before it becomes widely available to the public.

The researchers wanted to see how the depth of the cured slurry changed when they used different levels of near-infrared (NIR) light. They kept the exposure time constant at 3 seconds. In the picture, the top part shows a drawing that explains how they tested the depth of the curing process. The bottom part shows actual objects that were cured for 3 seconds under different levels of NIR light. The height of these objects is called the curing depth. The error bars in the graph show how much the results varied. In another part of the study, the researchers compared the inside views of large-size filaments that were printed using UV-assisted printing and NIR-assisted printing. They also took pictures of the structures after they were post-cured or cured in place using NIR light. The researchers used a special machine that extruded alumina slurry through a small nozzle at a steady speed using gas pressure.

So, if you’re eager to try your hand at 3D printing with a less exotic material, you can consider exploring metal 3D printers. These printers are attainable, provided you have some familiarity with electrochemistry.

In conclusion, while 3D printing in plastics and resin remains the most accessible and affordable option, advancements are being made to expand the possibilities. The use of NIR light for curing ceramic prints represents a significant leap forward in the field. With further research and development, we can hope to see more efficient and cost-effective methods for 3D printing with ceramics. Metal 3D printers can be a good alternative in the interim if you’re interested in investigating various materials and are willing to go into the world of electrochemistry.

3D printing with Ceramic slurries

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