High Quality 3D Printing of Lead‐Free Piezoelectric Ceramics by Integrating a Traversable Lubricating Layer in the Release Film

• DOI: 10.1002/admt.202401900
• Publication Date: 2025-05-22T03:14:25Z
• Authors: Denghao Ma; Jin Cheng; Xinwei Xu; Hongye Wang; Liang Sun; Hong Wang

AbstractDigital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing technology for ceramics is becoming increasingly important in industrial manufacturing, with the performance of the release film significantly affecting efficiency and quality. Excessive separation forces during layer‐by‐layer printing can fracture the green body, compromising both speed and quality. This study presents a novel technology for 3D printing lead‐free barium titanate (BTO) ceramics, achieving nearly zero separation force. By adding a lubricating layer between the slurry and the release film, a traversable chemically inert “dead zone” is created. With the inhibitions of excess curing by moving the curing process inside the “dead zone”, the separation force has been reduced from 0.5N to 0.1N. It reduces the printing time to under 10 seconds per layer. This advancement improves the printing speed, quality, and precision of the prepared BTO ceramics with a high piezoelectric constant of 244 pC/N. The technology exhibits the ability to produce complex shapes for future piezoelectric devices and its potential to promote additive manufacturing applications.