Technical ceramics offer high-temperature stability, chemical resistance, electrical insulation and excellent wear properties. Additive manufacturing adds another dimension: it allows the geometry of a component to become part of its functional performance.

The greatest potential therefore lies not in reproducing existing ceramic parts, but in redesigning them around thermal, mechanical or physical requirements.

Gyroid Structures for Ceramic Energy Systems

Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark developed a monolithic solid oxide electrochemical cell based on a ceramic gyroid structure. Instead of using planar layers with separate metallic interconnects and sealing elements, the electrolyte, supporting structure and functional surfaces were integrated into a continuous three-dimensional architecture.

The gyroid provides a large active surface area within a compact volume. The resulting cell achieved a specific power above 1 W/g in fuel-cell mode, while its hydrogen production rate in electrolysis mode was nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of planar stacks.

Thermal Management with Aluminum Nitride

Aluminum nitride is particularly interesting for thermal management because it combines high thermal conductivity with electrical insulation. This makes it relevant for power electronics, aerospace systems and applications where heat must be removed without introducing an electrically conductive component.

Recent research has demonstrated dense aluminum nitride components produced by vat photopolymerization and subsequent sintering. The investigations show that solid loading, particle distribution and thermal processing have a major influence on density and thermal conductivity.

Researchers have also investigated additively manufactured aluminum nitride heat pipes for spacecraft thermal control. Such studies illustrate the potential of ceramic AM for compact, lightweight and electrically insulating heat-transfer systems with application-specific internal channels.

Complex Ceramic Cores for Investment Casting

Another relevant application is the production of ceramic cores for internally cooled cast components. Additive manufacturing enables highly branched channels and thin internal features without dedicated tooling.

A 2025 study demonstrated complex ceramic cores with consistent geometrical and mechanical properties. Further research focused on balancing sufficient strength during handling and casting with the porosity required for subsequent core removal. Alumina-based cores with approximately 50% open porosity and a flexural strength of around 47 MPa were achieved.

Geometry as a Functional Parameter

The influence of geometry is not limited to flow or thermal applications. Researchers developed an additively manufactured lead-free piezoceramic with an oriented lamellar structure. Compared with a dense reference material, the optimized porous architecture increased the piezoelectric voltage coefficient by more than a factor of two.

These examples illustrate a broader development: ceramic additive manufacturing is increasingly being used to control not only the external shape of a component, but also its internal structure and resulting performance.

Development Support from Materia

Materia supports the development of additive manufacturing solutions through application analysis, functional design, material and process selection, prototype development and validation. The manufacturing route and suitable production partners are selected according to the requirements of the application.

This material- and process-open approach ensures that components are designed around their required function rather than a specific machine. For technical ceramics, this is often the decisive step from an interesting geometry to a viable industrial solution.

Selected References

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