Optimization of Resin Composition for Zirconia Ceramic Digital Light Processing Additive Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Ceramic Engineering

Background:

• Ceramic digital light processing (DLP) additive manufacturing requires photosensitive resins with specific rheological and curing properties.
• Resin properties directly impact the bonding strength and dimensional accuracy of fabricated ceramic parts.
• Optimizing resin formulations is crucial for successful ceramic component fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate various photosensitive resin monomers for ceramic DLP applications.
• To formulate and characterize resins with different functional groups (mono-, bi-, multi-).
• To determine the optimal photoinitiator concentration for resin curing.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical and experimental analysis of resin rheological and curing properties.
• Preparation and DLP printing of different resin slurry systems.
• Mechanical property testing of printed ceramic green bodies.
• Examination of photoinitiator concentration effects on curing behavior.

Main Results:

• Resins with varying functionalities were formulated and their properties analyzed.
• An optimal photoinitiator concentration was identified, enhancing curing behavior.
• A zirconia ceramic slurry (56 vol% solid content) was successfully prepared and printed using DLP.
• Post-processing (debinding and sintering) yielded dense zirconia ceramics with a uniform grain structure.

Conclusions:

• Optimized photosensitive resins are critical for successful ceramic DLP.
• The developed zirconia ceramic exhibited a high bending strength of 766.85 MPa.
• This research expands the potential for creating complex-geometry zirconia components via additive manufacturing.