DLP of Translucent Alumina: In-Depth Investigation on Slurry Development and Debinding Regimes

Exploring the feasibility of producing near-net-shape components with advanced properties and geometrical features via 3D printing has incrementally become the research focus of various studies. Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology can manufacture complex-structured compo-nents for various technical applications. The aim of this research is to investigate Al2O3 ceramic slurry preparation procedures to identify the ideal components to add to an in-house developed ceramic slurry, determine the optimal DLP printing parameters and conditions, while under-standing their effect on the green part properties, and evaluate the appropriate debinding regime to achieve fully dense crack-free fired parts capable of exhibiting translucent behaviours. The slurry obtained from the ball-milled powder at 800 rpm for 1 hour, together with 2 wt. % BYK-145 as a dispersant and the highest achievable solid loading of 85 wt.%, showed the desired rheological and photopolymerisation properties. Full factorial Design of Experiments (DOE) was employed to study the impact of the printing parameters on the density and the dimensions of the samples. Different debinding regimes were investigated and it was proven that the lowest debinding heat rate (0.2 °C/min) and longer holding times helped to reduce defects and promote densification (>99.0%), providing optimal grounds to obtain translucent fired parts.