Effect of Sintering Temperature on Surface Morphology and Roughness of 3D-printed Silicon Ceramic Cores

doi:10.15541/jim20210654

Abstract

Abstract:

Single crystal superalloy hollow blade is an important part of aero-engine, and its inner cavity structure is prepared by ceramic core. With the increase of thrust-weight ratio of aero-engine, the core structure is more and more complex. Traditional preparation technology is difficult to meet the requirements of complex core preparation. Stereolithography 3D printing of ceramic cores provides a feasible scheme for the preparation of complex cores. In order to improve the surface roughness of stereolithography 3D printed ceramic cores caused by step effect, this study used silicon-based core paste with solid content of 63% (in volume), and the cores of the green bodies were sintered at 1100 ℃ to 1300 ℃. Microstructure, element distribution, phase composition, surface morphology, and roughness of the silicon-based ceramic core were analyzed. It is found that printed surface of the core is smooth without obvious surface defects. Roughness of the printed surfaces of the sintered cores at 1100, 1200 and 1300 ℃ are 1.83, 1.24 and 1.44 μm, respectively. Their surface of lamellar stacking direction has lamellar structure characteristics, and microcracks appear between lamellar, and surface roughness of core sintered above 1200 ℃ meets the requirements (R_a≤2.0 μm) of hollow blade. Sintering temperatures affect the liquid content, mullite production, mullite formation morphology, and glass phase distribution of cores during the sintering process, and the surface roughness of stereolithography 3D-printed silicon ceramic cores is positively affected. Stereolithography 3D printing ceramic core technology combined with sintering process can produce a silicon-based ceramic core which surface roughness meets the requirements of an advanced hollow blade.

Key words: stereolithography 3D printing, ceramic core, surface morphology, roughness

CLC Number:

TQ174

LI Qiaolei, GU Yue, YU Xuehua, ZHANG Chaowei, ZOU Mingke, LIANG Jingjing, LI Jinguo. Effect of Sintering Temperature on Surface Morphology and Roughness of 3D-printed Silicon Ceramic Cores[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2022, 37(3): 325-332.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 Thermal analysis graphs of ceramic green body

Fig. 2 SEM images of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures

Fig. 3 EPMA element distribution analysis results of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures

Fig. 4 Element distributions of the ceramic cores sintered at 1250 ℃ for as-obtained sample (a-c) and simulated casting samples at 1500 ℃ (d-f)

Fig. 5 XRD patterns of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures

Fig. 6 Open porosities of the ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures for as-obtained samples and simulated casting (1500 ℃) samples

Fig. 7 2D and 3D surface morphologies and roughnesses of the printed surfaces of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures

Fig. 8 2D and 3D surface morphologies of the printed surfaces of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures The reference surface was established by commercial morphology analysis software Vision64

Fig. 9 2D and 3D surface morphologies and roughnesses of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures in printing stacking direction

Fig. 10 2D and 3D surface morphologies of ceramic cores sintered at different temperatures in printing stacking direction The reference surface was established by commercial morphology analysis software Vision64

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