Preparation and Properties of Blue Zirconia Ceramics Based on SLA Photopolymerization

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2025.0050

Abstract

Abstract: Colored zirconia ceramics can be widely used in high-tech fields such as mobile phone backplanes and high-end decorative materials due to their adjustable color, good mechanical processing and strong stability. In this study, three blue zirconia ceramic pastes with different Co₃O₄ content and a total solid content of 55% (volume fraction) were prepared and successfully used for stereolithography (SLA) photopolymerization printing. The results show that the addition of a small amount of Co₃O₄ slightly improves the flexural strength of the ceramic samples compared with the uncolored samples. The average grain size after sintering increases with the increase of Co₃O₄ content, and the monoclinic phase structure in the ceramic samples gradually increases. And the chromogenic mechanism of the blue zirconia ceramic samples is investigated, with the increase of Co₃O₄ content, the reflectance of the ceramic samples in the blua light range (435~490 nm) appeares to be significantly decreased. When the Co₃O₄ content is 1.0% (mass fraction), the mechanical and optical properties of the obtained samples are the best. The flexural strength and Vickers hardness of the ceramic samples are significantly better than those obtain in previous studies. This study has realized the use of blue ceramic materials to print monolithic movable parts, and this parts achieve high precision and superior performance, providing the possibility of printing high-strength structures in the field of high-end decorative materials.

Key words: stereolithography, zirconia, ceramic paste, blue ceramics, chromogenic mechanism, mechanical property

CLC Number:

TQ174.75

ZHU Jiahao, CHEN Shenggui, LIANG Jiahua, QIN Jiata, LI Nan, ZHOU Zhukun. Preparation and Properties of Blue Zirconia Ceramics Based on SLA Photopolymerization[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2025, 44(8): 2977-2987.

References

[1] ZARONE F, DI MAURO M I, AUSIELLO P, et al. Current status on lithium disilicate and zirconia: a narrative review[J]. BMC Oral Health, 2019, 19(1): 134.
[2] KELLY J R, DENRY I. Stabilized zirconia as a structural ceramic: an overview[J]. Dental Materials, 2008, 24(3): 289-298.
[3] JI S H, DA SOL KIM, PARK M S, et al. Development of multicolor 3D-printed 3Y-ZrO₂ sintered bodies by optimizing rheological properties of UV-curable high-content ceramic nanocomposites[J]. Materials & Design, 2021, 209: 109981.
[4] SOLÍS N W, PERETYAGIN P, TORRECILLAS R, et al. Electrically conductor black zirconia ceramic by SPS using graphene oxide[J]. Journal of Electroceramics, 2017, 38(1): 119-124.
[5] MAHMOOD Q, AFZAL A, SIDDIQI H M, et al. Sol-gel synthesis of tetragonal ZrO₂ nanoparticles stabilized by crystallite size and oxygen vacancies[J]. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, 2013, 67(3): 670-674.
[6] LV H D, BAO J X, QI S Y, et al. Optical and mechanical properties of purple zirconia ceramics[J]. Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies, 2019, 7(3): 306-311.
[7] LIU G W, XIE Z P, WANG W, et al. Fabrication of ZrO₂-CoAl₂O₄ composite by injection molding and solution infiltration[J]. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 2011, 8(6): 1344-1352.
[8] CHEN Z W, LI Z Y, LI J J, et al. 3D printing of ceramics: a review[J]. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 2019, 39(4): 661-687.
[9] ZHANG X P, WU X, SHI J. Additive manufacturing of zirconia ceramics: a state-of-the-art review[J]. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 2020, 9(4): 9029-9048.
[10] SCHWENTENWEIN M, HOMA J. Additive manufacturing of dense alumina ceramics[J]. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 2015, 12(1): 1-7.
[11] WANG L, YAO L, TANG W Z, et al. Effect of Fe₂O₃ doping on color and mechanical properties of dental 3Y-TZP ceramics fabricated by stereolithography-based additive manufacturing[J]. Ceramics International, 2023, 49(8): 12105-12115.
[12] RASAKI S A, XIONG D Y, XIONG S F, et al. Photopolymerization-based additive manufacturing of ceramics: a systematic review[J]. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2021, 10(3): 442-471.
[13] KIM I, KIM S, ANDREU A, et al. Influence of dispersant concentration toward enhancing printing precision and surface quality of vat photopolymerization 3D printed ceramics[J]. Additive Manufacturing, 2022, 52: 102659.
[14] OEZKAN B, SAMENI F, KARMEL S, et al. A systematic study of vat-polymerization binders with potential use in the ceramic suspension 3D printing[J]. Additive Manufacturing, 2021, 47: 102225.
[15] BISHOP T E, DESOTECH D. Multiple photoinitiators for improved performance[C]. Chicago, Illinois, USA: Radtech International UV and EB Curing Technology Expo & Conference (RadTech 2008) Part 2, 2008: 4-7.
[16] ZHOU S X, LIU G Z, WANG C S, et al. Thermal debinding for stereolithography additive manufacturing of advanced ceramic parts: a comprehensive review[J]. Materials & Design, 2024, 238: 112632.
[17] 武振飞, 王跃超, 陆丽芳, 等. 无压烧结氮化硅陶瓷的物理性能研究[J]. 硅酸盐通报, 2022, 41(5): 1782-1787.
WU Z F, WANG Y C, LU L F, et al. Physical properties of silicon nitride ceramics by pressureless sintering[J]. Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2022, 41(5): 1782-1787 (in Chinese).
[18] CHANG J J, ZOU B, WANG X F, et al. Preparation, characterization and coloring mechanism of 3D printed colorful ZrO₂ ceramics parts[J]. Materials Today Communications, 2022, 33: 104935.
[19] TANG Y F, WU C, SONG Y, et al. Effects of colouration mechanism and stability of CoAl₂O₄ ceramic pigments sintered on substrates[J]. Ceramics International, 2018, 44(1): 1019-1025.