Fabrication of Ceramics Using a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Type 3D Printer - High Density Alumina and Ni-Zn-Cu Ferrites, and a Hydroxyapatite (HAP) Scaffold

Dense alumina and Ni-Zn-Cu ferrites, and porous hydroxyapatite (HAP) have been fabricated using a fused deposition modeling (FDM) type 3D printer, so-called “Additive Manufacturing (AM)”. Green bodies of the former two were consisted of the laminated layer filaments from ceramics/resin = 60/40 vol% kneaded bodies to obtain dense ceramics. On the other hand, the latter was composed of 50/50 or 55/45 vol% filaments for porous scaffold. Binder-out process was performed in air with the selected temperature range/heating rate and final 673~723 K for 1.08~18.0 • 105 s, corresponding to each material. Hot Isostatic Pressed fine grained alumina after microwave sintering with an apparent relative density of 94%, substantially more than 98% by looking at the microstructure, revealed a bending strength of 562 MPa. Permeability µ of dense Ni-Zn-Cu ferrite sintered in air was nearly the same as that of conventional one; at low frequencies µ of “AM” ferrite surpassed the latter. Porous two kinds of HAP ceramics were fabricated from the different calcining temperatures 1223 and 1248 K, and biotested in terms of the cell culture at 310 K for 8.64 and 25.9 • 104 s. The cells on HAP produced from 1223 K calcined grew twofold in comparison with those of control glass.