3D gel-printing of zirconia ceramic parts

3D gel-printing (3DGP) is a new printing method, which is based on a 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) gelation system to produce complex shape parts. In this study, the 3DGP process based on a water-based gelation system was used to prepare zirconia (ZrO2) ceramic parts. The water-based ZrO2 ceramic slurry with a solid volume fraction of 50 vol% was prepared and its rheological property was characterized. The surface roughness is Ra 8.90 mu m on the printed green sample, and Ra 8.25 mu m on the sample after sintered at 1520 degrees C for 2 h. The relative density, the Vickers hardness and the transverse rupture strength of the sintered sample are 97.6%, 14.4 GPa and 450 MPa, respectively.