High solid loading, low viscosity stereolithography 3D printing ceramic cores slurry

The temperature enduring capacity of turbine blades determines the thrust-weight ratio of aero-engines. The heat dissipation efficiency of blades is improved mainly through designing complex internal cooling channel. As a transitional component of blade preparation, the shape of ceramic cores has become gradually complex. The traditional process is difficult to meet the preparation requirements of ceramic core with complex structure due to the limitation of mold. Stereolithography 3D printing provides a feasible technology for the preparation of ceramic cores with complex structures. The key to high-performance ceramic core via the stereolithography 3D printing lies in the prepare ceramic slurry with high solid loading, low viscosity and uniform stability. Choosing suitable dispersant is an effective way to prepare above standard slurry. In this study, the effects of single and dual dispersants on the rheological properties of ceramic slurry were systematically investigated. The action mechanism of the dispersant was analyzed. The functional relationship between solid loading and viscosity was elucidated. The silicon-based ceramic core slurry with 70 vol% solid loading and viscosity of 10520 mPa s (12.6 s−1) was obtained. Through optimizing printing parameters, the complex structure silicon-based ceramic core was fabricated. The influence of solid loading on the microstructure and physical properties of the ceramic core was investigated. The results show that with the increase of solid loading, the shrinkage of ceramic core lowers and the flexural strength of ceramic core strengthens. The successfully preparation of complex structure ceramic core based on high solid loading slurry promotes the extensively implemented of stereolithography 3D printing technology in the field of ceramic core.