3D printing in the production of transparent ceramic microcomponents

Additive manufacturing Additively manufacture transparent ceramic microcomponents

2025-02-24 Source: BAM | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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The BMBF junior research group "TransNanoAF" at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is developing transparent ceramic microcomponents using 3D printing. This aims to enable the more efficient and customized production of ceramic structures for technical, optical, and medical applications.

A transparent miniature rover and landing sphere printed from ceramics with details of a few micrometers.(Image: BAM) — A transparent miniature rover and landing sphere printed from ceramics with details of a few micrometers.
(Image: BAM)

Ceramic materials possess properties such as temperature resistance, chemical resistance, low electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as wear resistance. This makes the material indispensable for many high-tech applications, such as implants or heat shields in gas turbines, making them more durable and efficient.

The processing of technical ceramics presents a particular challenge for the industry, as the material is brittle and difficult to shape into complex forms, especially as the components become smaller. The 3D printing developed at BAM offers new possibilities to manufacture customized structures in the micro to millimeter range, about the size of a dot on an "i".

To ensure high quality in additive manufacturing, print parameters, material mixture, and post-processing must be precisely coordinated. A particular challenge is adapting the material mixture to the respective 3D printers. For high resolutions, transparent "inks" are especially necessary. The research group led by Johanna Sänger is developing inks that are transparent, even though they contain ceramic particles. This is achieved when the particles are particularly fine, measuring only a few nanometers in size.

With our research, we aim to open up new application fields for the 3D printing of ceramic microcomponents and bring this technology into the industry. Particularly in the field of medical technology and optical components such as light guides, our research offers great potential for innovations.

Johanna Sänger, Head of the research group

BAM provides the group with an excellent research infrastructure, including state-of-the-art 3D printers, dedicated laboratories, and a powerful IT environment. Additionally, BAM financially supports the project with 10,600 dollars annually. The research group also benefits from BAM's long-standing expertise in additive manufacturing, ceramic technologies, and nanoparticle analysis. Furthermore, the research group is funded with 2 million dollars over five years under the NanoMatFutur program of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

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