Digital light processing of ceramics: an overview on process, materials and challenges

Digital light processing (DLP) is an emerging additive manufacturing technique due to its inherent advantages. Though DLP is similar to stereolithography-based techniques which works on principle of vat-photopolymerization and curing layer by layer to form the object, it offers faster printing rate, accuracy and higher resolution. In recent years, the technique is gaining interest in shaping of complex ceramic parts with fine features. A few examples are catalyst substrates, biomedical parts, heat exchangers, membranes for reactors, etc. Several investigations were carried out by the researchers in preparing the suitable form of ceramic resin with combinations of photo initiators, monomers and dispersants for DLP process. This article focuses on reviewing the DLP technique explored for shaping of complex parts for various ceramic materials such as oxide, non-oxide, preceramic polymers and ceramic matrix composites. A summary of the challenges encountered by the earlier researchers in terms of the resin preparation, DLP parameters and post-processing operation to achieve desired physico-chemical and thermo-mechanical properties for various applications are also presented.