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A. Kutsch, C. Hofstetter, M. Schwentenwein, J. Stampfl:
"Lithography-Based Additive Manufacturing Of Alumina";
Poster: virtual European Symposium of Photopolymer Sciences, Online; 2021-06-15 - 2021-06-17.

Structural ceramics as silicon nitride, sili con carbide, zirconia, boron carbide, and alu-
mina have favorable properties like high ha rdness, wear resistance, high-temperature
mechanical strength, creep resistance, corrosi on resistance, and chemical inertness ma-
king them applicable as cutting tools, wear components, heat exchangers and engine
parts [1].
As alumina is bioinert, it is also frequently used as bioceramic material [1]. Having
excellent corrosion resistance compared to meta llic alloys, alumina is frequently used
for total hip prostheses and is considered a promising material for dental implants [2].
One approach to treat patients with the need for prosthesis is using personalized im-
plants. Using additive manufacturing it is possi ble to fabricate individual and geometri-
cally complex parts directly from a CAD model, which is not processable with conven-
tional manufacturing methods.
Within this work, advancements of prin ting alumina parts usi ng lithography-based ce-
ramic manufacturing (LCM) are shown. Processing alumina parts by LCM is a two step
process. First, a green body is formed via polymerization of monomers by the energy of
light. Second, to gain a dense ceramic object, the organic polymer matrix is evaporated
and decomposed during debinding and sintering.
The feasibility of realizing dense objects by recycling ceramic scrap and supports is
presented. Furthermore, objects printed with slurries containing m onomers, plasticizers
and additives filled with recycled alumina are compared to parts printed with organic
binder filled with virgin alumina powder. It was possible to pr int, debind and sinter de-
fect free alumina bodies with a wall thic kness >10 mm (green body) and 10 mm (after
sintering) [3].
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[1] Carter, C. B., & Norton, M. G. (2013). Ceramic Materials Science and Engineering.
(Vol. 766, p.7). New York: springer.
[2] Huang, J., Li, X., & Guo, Z. X. (2020). Biomechanical and biochemical compatibility in innovative
biomaterials. In Biocompatibility and Performance of Medical Devices (pp. 23-46). Woodhead Publi-
shing.
[3] Schwentenwein, M. (2017). Provide characterization of sintered ceramic and cermet parts. Retrieved
from http://www.tomax-h2020.eu/media