University of Hyderabad team gets patent for ceramic fabrication method
A University of Hyderabad research team led by Prof V Seshu Bai has received a patent for a low-cost and innovative method to fabricate complex-shaped ceramic components with high strength and uniform properties, offering major benefits for industrial applications
Hyderabad: A research team led by Prof V Seshu Bai from the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, has been granted a patent (No. 577626) for its innovative method of fabricating ceramic components of complex shapes.
The invention showcases several innovative steps that lead to technical advancement in the fabrication of complex-shaped ceramic parts with excellent mechanical performance, the UoH said.
The patented process employs gelcasting of suspended ceramic slurries into expanded polystyrene (EPS) moulds of complex geometry, generated using a subtractive manufacturing technique from CAD files, it said.
The alumina products thus produced have a uniform density of 99 percent throughout the volume, fracture toughness of about 3 MPa√m, and a flexural strength of about 390 MPa.
The process is versatile and can be extended to various ceramics such as zirconia, tungsten carbide and others. It also allows uniform distribution of required second phases as reinforcement, aimed at enhancing mechanical properties, the UoH said.
Ceramics are known for their strength and corrosion resistance. This invention gains significance as ceramic components of various sizes and shapes are widely used in industrial applications, especially in automobiles, aerospace, and as surgical implants.
“This patent presents an inexpensive method of fabricating ceramic parts with uniform properties and good mechanical performance at low cost and is adaptable by industries. The process not only ensures reproducibility and precision but also enables easy mould removal and avoids mould-green body interaction,” it said.
This innovative fabrication method, involving the setting of concentrated slurries of a precursor sol in precisely rapid-prototyped moulds, enables the production of high-performance components. This breakthrough has the potential to benefit various industries and further strengthen the UoH’s research standing, it added.