LSD-based 3D printing of alumina ceramics

An improved method of powder 3D printing leading to dense ceramic parts is presented. The application of powder based binder jetting 3D printing technologies to technical ceramics is generally limited by the low packing density of the powder and by the need to use a flowable powder. With layer-wise slurry deposition, it is, however, possible to deposit powder beds with high particle packing and furthermore using submicron powders. This method was combined with the binder jetting technology to develop a novel process, named LSD-print. By means of LSD-print, a submicron Al2O3 powder could be processed to produce samples with a density comparable with that of standard pressed samples, both in the green state and after sintering.