Effect of monomers with different functionalities on stability, rheology, and curing behavior of ceramic suspensions

Vat photopolymerization (VP) technology is a popular manufacturing technology for ceramic parts with complex shapes and high dimensional accuracy. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on how to design suitable monomer formulations for ceramic powder with different characteristics. In this study, the effect of monomers with different functionalities on the stability, rheology, and curing behavior of different ceramic suspensions was investigated intensively. The results showed that the high-functionality monomer facilitates improved stability and cure depth. Whereas, it has a negative impact on viscosity and excess width. For ceramic powders with a low refractive index and light absorbance, a relatively high cure depth can be obtained by using a monomer with low functionality. Moreover, the cure depth and viscosity of aluminum nitride (AlN) suspensions with different monomer combinations were also studied. Finally, the alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), AlN, and silicon nitride (Si3N4) parts were successfully fabricated. [Display omitted] •Low-functionalities monomer has a positive effect on viscosity and excess width of the ceramic suspension.•High-functionalities monomer can improve cure depth of ceramic suspension.•The higher the absorbance and refractive index of ceramic powder, the higher the functionality of the monomer is required.•The viscosity and cure depth of ceramic suspension can be adjusted by varying the ratio of different monomers.