Posted on 01/02/2016 9:20:24 AM PST by BenLurkin
Schaedler and colleagues at HRL invented a resin formulation that can be 3-D printed into parts of virtually any shape and size.
The printed resin can then be fired, converting it into a high strength, fully dense ceramic. The resulting material can withstand ultrahigh temperatures in excess of 1,700 degrees Celsius (3,092 Fahrenheit) and is 10 times stronger than similar materials.
Ceramics are much more difficult to work with than plastics or metals because they cannot be cast or machined easily, according to Schaedler, who is an author on the new study appearing today in the journal Science.
But Schaedler's team figured out how to trick ceramics into behaving like plastic.
"We have a pre-ceramic resin that you can print like a polymer, then you fire the polymer and it converts to a ceramic," he said. "There is some shrinkage involved, but it's very uniform so you can predict it."
The big picture is that this method could help rocket and satellite designers who have to make lots of special small parts that are capable of resisting the heating that occurs during high velocity air friction, as well as high temperatures generated by the exhaust during takeoff.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...
Yeah, I know, I've experienced cold water as well.
Just to drive the liberals further insane.
Some day her prints will come...
You do know that a Keurig, or even a Dragon coffee maker is a bit more compact...
Needs to be done in space with material found in space.
Go big or go home.
I wonder if the new resin could be injection molded for mass production?
Is she contemplating the uniform shrinkage when things get heated up?
Heat is only part of the problem, withstanding the shock of
180 decibels for extended periods of time is another. From the article I see their still stuck on this ceramic outer body concept. I’ve personally seen other innovative outer skin concepts that I thought were pure genius.
Hughs Research Lab (HRL) has been big on developing materials with a nano-scale patterning as part of gaining a strength advantage. The ceramics produced of 3D printed green-ware include a predetermined size porous structure, which when fired to remove the polymer component and sinter the remaining ceramic, disappears at compaction.
Injection molding would not produce the uniform hollow pores or uniform density resulting from the printing process, thus the result would be a weaker part. It may still have suitable properties for some applications and allow an injection molding process rather than powder compaction to be employed to produce greenware.
Thanks for posting. I need to get me some of this stuff for tinkering purposes!
SpaceX already uses 3d-printed engines in its crew vehicle.
Samsung Just Granted Patent for Holographic 3D Printer & Driver
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