L. del Mazo et al. Rheological characterisation of ceramic inks for 3D direct ink writing: a review. Journal of the European Ceramic Society

L. Del-Mazo-Barbara, M.P. Ginebra. Rheological characterisation of ceramic inks for 3D direct ink writing: a review. Journal of the European Ceramic Society Volume 41, Issue 16, December 2021, Pages 18-33.

doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2021.08.031

Abstract

3D printing is a competitive manufacturing technology, which has opened up new possibilities for the fabrication of complex ceramic structures and customised parts. Extrusion-based technologies, also known as direct ink writing (DIW) or robocasting, are amongst the most used for ceramic materials. In them, the rheological properties of the ink play a crucial role, determining both the extrudability of the paste and the shape fidelity of the printed parts. However, comprehensive rheological studies of printable ceramic inks are scarce and may be difficult to understand for non-specialists. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the main types of ceramic ink formulations developed for DIW and a detailed description of the more relevant rheological tests for assessing the printability of ceramic pastes. Moreover, the key rheological parameters are identified and linked to printability aspects, including the values reported in the literature for different ink compositions.