Material-extrusion based additive manufacturing of BaTiO3 ceramics: from filament production to sintered properties

Material extrusion (MEX) of thermoplastic filaments represents one of the most widely adopted additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Unlike vat photopolymerization and powder-bed fusion methods that require high energy sources such as UV light and lasers, this fabrication method can be adapted for the fabrication of ceramics by using ceramic loaded filaments as feedstock, yet still employing relatively cheap equipment meant for polymeric materials with little adaptation of the process parameters; this potentially enables a broader diffusion of AM ceramic components. In this work, composite filaments with various weight fractions (60 - 80 wt%) of BaTiO3 were fabricated and characterized by electron microscopy, compressive mechanical testing, rheometry and thermogravimetric analysis to ensure a smooth and reliable printing process. After optimizing the printing parameters, the dense and porous printed samples were carefully debinded and sintered to obtain dense (similar to 92 %) and defect-free ceramic bodies. The sintered samples were characterized for phase development, microstructure, and pore size distribution. Careful observations reveal a particular range of pore size (0.1 - 5 mu m), which originates from the binder burn out process. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the fabricated samples were in good agreement with those reported in previous literature. This work provides a foundation for rapid prototyping of functional electro ceramics into reliable products with desired functional properties.