Binder jetting of metal-ceramic-composites

In previous studies we investigated the structure-property correlation of metal-ceramic composite materials processed by powder injection moulding (PIM). Binder jetting is a promising complementary technology for PIM with regard to prototyping, individualized parts and small series production. Therefore, we investigated the feasibility of producing metal-ceramic composites by means of binder jetting and the influence of various processing parameters on the quality of green and sintered parts. The examined material systems comprised stainless steel (316L) with zirconia and pure iron with tricalcium phosphate (TCP). Both systems had a ceramic share of 25 % v/v in relation to the overall solid content. Archimedes density measurements revealed apparent densities around 95 - 99 % and 90 - 95 % for 316L-ZrO2 and Fe-TCP respectively. The respective flexural strengths were considerably lower than for PIM parts and polished sections revealed high porosities.