Session: Rising Stars of Mechanical Engineering Celebration & Showcase

Paper Number: 147956

147956 - Binder-Free Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics Using Hydrothermal-Assisted Jet Fusion 

Ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) typically uses a high fraction of organic binders to form pre-sintered green parts that require a post de-binding process to remove. The de-binding process inevitably results in severe gas expansion and residual chars, leading to structural defects, accumulated stress, and compromised material properties in the final parts. Here we report a binder-free additive manufacturing process that utilizes a hydrothermal method to create geometrically and compositionally complex ceramics under mild temperatures. The hydrothermal method utilizes a selectively deposited volatile dissolving ink, high pressure, and milt heat to strategically fuse a ceramic powder bed into complex geometries. Compared to traditional AM methods for ceramics, the HJF process eliminates the need for organic binders in green part fabrication and offers the potential to directly co-print ceramics with other dissimilar materials, such as polymers and metals, enabling the development of novel multi-functional ceramic composites.

Presenting Author: Xuan Song University of Iowa

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Xuan Song is an Associate Professor and James A. Chisman Faculty Fellow in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Iowa (UIowa). His research investigates how gentle and versatile material forming mechanisms found in nature can be leveraged to revitalize “age-old” manufacturing processes with enhanced sustainability and multi-scale tunability. His current research interest is specifically focused on the manufacturing processes for extreme materials, such as ceramics and energetics. He is a recipient of multiple awards, including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Award in 2024, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2023, the Early Career Faculty Excellence Award in the College of Engineering at UIowa in 2023, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award in 2022, among others. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Wuhan University, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Zhejiang University, and a PhD degree in industrial engineering from the University of Southern California.

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