Preparation of High-Stability Ceramic Slurry with Gel Behavior for Stereolithography 3D Printing

Abstract

Maintaining sufficient uniformity and stability of a ceramic slurry throughout the printing cycle is key to ensuring the performance of ceramic parts in ceramic-slurry stereolithography. In this study, a stable three-dimensional network structure was introduced into a slurry to achieve slurry uniformity and stability based on rheology theory. The effects of the particle size, solid loading, dispersant content, and gelling agent content on the stability of the three-dimensional network structure in the slurry were analyzed. Relatively stable three-dimensional network structures were constructed to achieve 4-week stability of micron- and submicron-size particle slurries by adjusting the contents of the dispersant and gelling agent. Stabilization ideas for different particle size ranges are provided. In addition, an empirical stability model was obtained based on the experimental results. When the predicted empirical stability factor of A was less than 0.035, the slurry exhibited good stability.