Templated grain growth in rapid sintered 3D-printed alumina ceramics

Abstract

Textured microstructures in ceramics have gained interest due to their beneficial effect on structural and functional properties. For instance, morphologically textured grains in alumina-based ceramics can increase their damage tolerance. Texturing of alumina ceramics may be achieved through templated grain growth (TGG) occurring during sintering at high temperatures with prolonged dwell times (hours) and may be further enhanced by the presence of a liquid phase. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of texturing 3D-printed alumina ceramics within minutes by combining rapid heating (∼450 °C/min) and short dwell times (<20 min). The effect of sintering temperature and dwell time is investigated on samples with and without liquid phase. Experimental findings show highest texture degree for samples rapid sintered at 1600 °C for 16 min, opening the path for tailoring the microstructure of 3D-printed ceramics using pressure-less rapid sintering protocols.