Effect of Carbon Black on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Fused Deposition Modeling 3D-Printed Silicon Carbide Ceramics

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2026.0223

Abstract

Abstract:

Pressureless sintered silicon carbide （SSiC） ceramics have broad application prospects in aerospace and other fields due to their excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. In this study， SiC ceramics were prepared by fused deposition modeling （FDM） combined with pressureless solid-state sintering. The effects of carbon black specific surface area （10， 80， 150， and 230 m²/g） and content （2.0%， 2.5%， 3.0%， 3.5%， and 4.0%， mass fraction） on the printing performance as well as the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sintered bodies were systematically investigated. The results show that when the specific surface area of carbon black is 150 m²/g and the content is 3.5%， feedstock ensures extrusion stability while achieving good shape retention. Under these conditions， the green body density reaches 2.18 g/cm³， and the flexural strength is （16.2±2.0） MPa. Too low specific surface area or insufficient content of carbon black leads to an incomplete carbothermal reduction reaction； whereas too high specific surface area or excessive content induces carbon black agglomeration， thereby inhibiting the densification process. After pressureless sintering at 2 150 ℃， when the specific surface area of carbon black is 150 m²/g and the content is 3.5%， the silicon carbide ceramic achieves a density of 3.02 g/cm³， a flexural strength of （344.0±52.0） MPa， and a hardness of （24.2±1.2） GPa. Using this process， various complex components were successfully fabricated using this process. This study provides a new approach for the fabrication of complex silicon carbide components by fused deposition modeling.

Key words: silicon carbide ceramics, carbon black, pressureless sintering, fused deposition, specific surface area, mechanical property

CLC Number:

TQ174

QIN Shuni, DONG Haolin, ZHANG Shuai, LIANG Haozhang, LIU Ziyu, LIU Peng, YANG Xianfeng, LUO Deping. Effect of Carbon Black on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Fused Deposition Modeling 3D-Printed Silicon Carbide Ceramics[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2026, 45(9): 3267-3279.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig.1 SEM images of different powders

Table 1 Mix proportion of raw materials of different SiC printing feedstock samples

Sample	Mass fraction/%
	Ceramic powder			Organic binder
	SiC	B₄C	C	PW	PE	EVA	SA
SC10-3.5	75.6	1.6	2.8	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC80-3.5	75.6	1.6	2.8	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-3.5	75.6	1.6	2.8	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC230-3.5	75.6	1.6	2.8	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-2.0	76.8	1.6	1.6	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-2.5	76.4	1.6	2.0	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-3.0	76.0	1.6	2.4	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-3.5	75.6	1.6	2.8	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6
SC150-4.0	75.2	1.6	3.2	13.0	3.0	2.4	1.6

Fig.2 Schematic diagram of 3D printing process

Fig.3 Effects of different specific surface areas of C on feedstock viscosity

Fig.4 Suspension bridge structures with different spans printed by SiC feedstocks containing different specific surface areas of C

Fig.5 Green density， flexural strength， and cross-section SEM images of samples with different specific surface areas of C

Fig.6 XRD patterns of different SiC ceramics after pressureless sintering at 2 150 ℃ for 1 h

Table 2 Mass percentage of residual carbon in SiC ceramics with different specific surface areas and content of C

Sample	Residual C content/%	Sample	Residual C content/%
SC10-3.5	1.92	SC150-2.0	0.91
SC80-3.5	1.14	SC150-2.5	0.96
SC150-3.5	1.08	SC150-3.0	1.01
SC230-3.5	1.79	SC150-3.5	1.08
—	—	SC150-4.0	1.21

Fig.7 Density， relative density， and cross-section EDS energy spectra of SiC ceramics with different specific surface areas of C

Fig.8 Flexural strength and hardness of SiC ceramics with different specific surface areas of C

Fig.9 Green density， flexural strength， and cross-section SEM images of SiC ceramics with different content of C

Fig.11 Density， relative density， and polished cross-section SEM images of SiC ceramics with different content of C

Fig.11 Flexural strength and hardness of SiC ceramics with different content of C

Fig.12 Complex-shaped SiC ceramics fabricated by FDM technology

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