Additive Manufacturing of YSZ and Lithium Silicate Electroceramics for Energy Generation and Storage
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Additive manufacturing (AM) of electroceramics is of interest because electroceramics are an excellent fit for solid oxide electrolytes. Faster material testing through the use of rapid prototyping made available through advances in additive manufacturing is now available. This investigation summarizes work on two materials of interest for energy generation and storage applications, fully stabilized 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and lithium silicate powders printed with a Lithoz CeraFab 8500 lithography-based ceramic slurry printer. This thesis focuses on variations in base powder, binder system, solids loading, heating profile, layer thickness, and layer orientation. Final part density, porosity, grain size, resistance, conductivity, activation energy, and crystal structure were measured to determine both the viability of 3D-printing and the effects the layers might have on microstructure.
Tosoh TZ-8YS powders mixed with Lithoz MS13B binder at a solid loading of 46.5 vol % sintered at 1450°C resulted in highly dense uniform parts with no noticeable variations in bulk resistance, conductivity, or activation energy due to layering. Lithium silicate powders mixed with Lithoz MS13B binder at a solid loading of 51 vol % sintered at 800°C resulted in dense parts with surface abnormalities and no noticeable variations in bulk resistance, conductivity, or activation because of layering.
The results show that base powder, binder system, solids loading, and layer thickness are important for 3D-printing. Slurry viscosity with a solid loading between 40 and 50 % is controlled by powder, solids loading, and binder. Microstructure and successful densification of samples depend on powder quality, heating profile, layer orientation, and binder system. In addition, the layering does not have a direct impact on the electrical properties of 3D-printed parts.