A stereolithographic diamond-mixed resin slurry for complex SiC ceramic structures

Over the years, stereolithography has been successfully used to prepare complex, strong silicon carbide (SiC) structures. However, most raw materials are dark in color and therefore have broad-spectrum absorbing properties, making the curing steps during stereolithography highly inefficient. Here, diamond powders were mixed with a light-curing resin, yielding a slurry with excellent curability. The slurry was then used to prepare SiC-based composites with complex morphologies using pyrolysis and reaction melt infiltration (RMI) process. The influence of the diamond volume fraction in the slurry on each process stage was investigated. The infiltration of molten Si into diamond body during RMI was greatly enhanced compared to traditional carbon bodies. SiC ceramic-based composites with complex morphologies and a maximum strength of ∼460 MPa was prepared rapidly and efficiently. This study demonstrates the great potential of the slurry for efficiently manufacturing SiC-based composites in mechanical parts where high strength and complex structures are needed.