The additive manufacturing of BaTiO₃ (BT) ceramics through stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing at 465 nm wavelength was demonstrated. After different milling times, different paste compositions with varied initial micron-sized powders were studied to find a composition suitable for 3D printing. The pastes were evaluated in terms of photopolymerization depth depending on the laser scanning speed. Furthermore, the microstructure and properties of the BT ceramic samples produced through SLA 3D printing were characterized and compared with those of ceramics fabricated through a conventional die semi-drying pressing method. Three-dimensional printed samples achieved relative densities over 0.95 and microhardness over 500 HV after sintering, nearly matching the relative density and microhardness attained by the pressed samples. Upon poling, the 3D-printed samples attained acceptable piezoelectric module d₃₃ = 148 pC/N and dielectric constants over 2000. At near full density, BT piezoceramics were successfully fabricated through SLA 3D printing at 465 nm wavelength, achieving photopolymerization depth of more than 100 microns. This work paves the relatively low-cost way for 3D printing of piezoelectric ceramics using conventional micron-sized powders and high printed layer thickness.

3D printing allows the fabrication of ceramic implants, making a personalized approach to patients’ treatment a reality. In this work, we have tested the applicability of the Function Representation (FRep) method for geometric simulation of implants with complex cellular microstructure. For this study, we have built several parametric 3D models of 4 mm diameter cylindrical bone implant specimens of four different types of cellular structure. The 9.5 mm long implants are designed to fill hole defects in the trabecular bone. Specimens of designed ceramic implants were fabricated at a Ceramaker 900 stereolithographic 3D printer, using a commercial 3D Mix alumina (Al₂O₃) ceramic paste. Then, a single-axis compression test was performed on fabricated specimens. According to the test results, the maximum load for tested specimens constituted from 93.0 to 817.5 N, depending on the size of the unit cell and the thickness of the ribs. This demonstrates the possibility of fabricating implants for a wide range of loads, making the choice of the right structure for each patient much easier.

We have studied the formation of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) in various buffer solutions. Brushite hydrolysis in acetate and succinate buffer solutions at 60°C and pH 5.75 ensures rapid synthesis of...