Research on preparation and performance of ceramic denture materials applied for three dimensional printing

The micro-flow extrusion forming of ceramic material has not been developed in three dimensional (3D) printing field. The shape forming of material is by bonding and stacking of filaments of ceramic slurry extruded through micro-sized pores with rather large gaps and porosities, which can affect material's density after sintering and its mechanical property thereafter. Aiming at such a deficiency of this process, the preparation method of ceramic denture printing paste applicable to the process is studied, and the properties of slurry and sintering performance are analyzed and tested. It is concluded that the rheological properties of the prepared ceramic slurry conforms the requirement of micro-flow extrusion process, and the green body after sintering can satisfy the mechanical property requirement of oral denture. This is a technologic breakthrough, laying a foundation for the application of micro-flow extrusion forming in 3D printing of ceramic material, and promoting its development and maturation. Copyright © 2017 by Editorial Office of Journal of Biomedical Engineering.