Additive Manufacturing of Ceramic Composites

Unmet Need: Efficient build and repair method for high temperature materials

In many industries there are service parts that undergo material loss due to wear, erosion, corrosion, cavitation, and more. These damaged parts cost industries a lot to replace and time to repair them. Parts are constantly damaged and broken due to abrasives water flow and cavitation.

The Technology: Additive manufacturing process for ceramics, metals, alloys

WSU inventors propose using additive manufacturing to process parts directly for high temperature and ultra-high temperature ceramics having composition and/or structural gradation from one end to the other end of a part with simple or complex structural features. Such ceramics are processed directly via melt cast route layer-by-layer using heat source to melt the ceramic starting materials.

Applications:

• Compositional gradient from one type of ceramic to another, or ceramic to metal or a combination of multiple compositions of metals, alloys and ceramics.

• Additive manufacturing helps build and repair ultra-high temperature ceramics.

• Manufacture parts for different applications or for repair of existing parts.

Advantages:

• Eliminates elaborate and time consuming processing steps to produce next generation of parts.

• Creates parts with varying thermal, structural and functional properties.

• Results in incredibly hard, high wear resistant and gradient coating material.