New 3D printing process for ceramics enables high-precision microstructures

A new 3D printing process could significantly improve the production of ceramic structures. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a technique called 3D-AJP (Aerosol Jet Printing) that makes it possible to produce highly complex ceramic microstructures just ten micrometers in size. These dimensions would not be feasible using conventional manufacturing methods, as the material would break due to its brittleness.

“It would be impossible to machine ceramic structures as small and as precise as these using traditional manufacturing methods,” explained Rahul Panat, professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and the lead author of the study. “They would shatter.”

Ceramics have properties such as high temperature resistance, wear resistance and biocompatibility, which makes them interesting for various applications. However, previous additive manufacturing processes often result in considerable shrinkage during post-processing, as organic additives have to be removed from the printing ink. This shrinkage can be up to 43 percent, which significantly limits the manufacturing accuracy. 3D-AJP, on the other hand, uses an ink-free method and reduces shrinkage to just two to six percent, resulting in a much more precise component geometry.

The process also offers the possibility of combining several ceramic materials within a single structure. This allows functional gradient materials to be produced that are specifically tailored to certain applications. One potential area of application is highly sensitive biosensors.

“In the presence of UV light and zinc oxide, chemicals can be degraded, so by creating a 3D structure with a higher surface area we can increase the speed and the effectiveness of water purification by four times,” he said. “Additionally, our ability to control the porosity of these structures, allows us to control and tailor thermal conductivity of structures such as the insulators used in space shuttles.”

Other potential applications include water treatment and thermal insulation. By increasing the specific surface area, the efficiency of catalysts for removing pollutants under UV light can be significantly increased. In addition, the porosity of the ceramic structures can be specifically adjusted to optimize thermal properties – an advantage for high-performance insulators in aerospace applications. The combination of high manufacturing accuracy and material diversity could make 3D-AJP a versatile technology for industrial and scientific applications.