Fabrication of Piezoelectric Structures with High Porosity by Digital Light Processing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Piezoelectric Materials

Background:

• Digital Light Processing (DLP) is an emerging additive manufacturing technique for fabricating complex structures.
• High-performance piezoelectric devices require careful optimization of material and process parameters.
• Barium titanate is a key material for piezoelectric applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize slurry composition, model slicing, and heat treatment for DLP of piezoelectric devices.
• To investigate the effect of these parameters on piezoelectric performance and structural integrity.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating high-porosity piezoelectric structures with retained functionality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 200 nm particle size barium titanate powders with 80% solid content for slurry formulation.
• Employed a slicing method with printing direction perpendicular to the poling direction.
• Sintered piezoelectric parts at 1450°C.

Main Results:

• Optimized slurry and slicing methods significantly improved printing efficiency and piezoelectric performance.
• Sintering at 1450°C resulted in enhanced piezoelectric response and reduced deformation.
• Fabricated structures with 70% porosity retained a high piezoelectric response.

Conclusions:

• Digital Light Processing offers a viable route for fabricating complex piezoelectric devices.
• Careful optimization of slurry, slicing, and sintering is crucial for achieving high performance.
• DLP-fabricated piezoelectric components can maintain functionality even at high porosity levels.