High-purity, high-strength, uniform silicon carbide ceramics 3D printed at 1100 °C efficiently and economically in one step

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1092665

"hardness/ brittleness makes shaping difficult, solved using vat polymerization: layer by layer 3D printing using light cured liquid resin... added: silica improves quality, methyl-phenyl-polysiloxane improves strength... compressive/ bending strengths comparable to 1,400℃ sintering, high specific strength, low density... formation of silicon carbide oxide phase, filling gaps between printed layers, for better bonding/ reduced anisotropy... avoids need for non-silicon binders... ceramics survive extreme environments"