STTR Phase I: Novel Nanoparticle Composite Systems for Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP) Dental Ceramic Applications

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将开发一种新型的多功能，高产量，纳米颗粒陶瓷系统，用于三维打印（3DP）生物相容性复合材料，用于牙科修复应用。该项目将专注于3DP纳米颗粒陶瓷材料系统的创新，该系统提供灵活的组成，可定制的前体粘度，并产生50-70 wt.百分比。通过将纳米尺寸的颗粒填料引入到粘合剂油墨中可以获得进一步的产率增加。这项工作的一个关键组成部分是研究纳米粉末和运输液体之间的相互作用，以及整个系统的组成对打印部件的烧结和致密化行为的影响。这些问题对于喷墨印刷陶瓷物体的稳健和可靠的处理具有巨大的技术重要性，特别是持续关注提高印刷分辨率。了解组合物加工，加工转化和转化微观结构之间的复杂相互作用将提供基本的陶瓷加工知识，并建立技术和商业可行性，通过使用新型纳米颗粒油墨的3DP快速制造来生产具有竞争力的商业可行的牙科材料。更广泛的（商业）影响将是除了成功的努力所带来的商业利益和高潜在的经济回报外，拟议的项目将对更广泛的喷墨和3D打印研究以及各级学生的学术和职业准备产生重大影响。对多用途、商业上可行的喷墨和3D打印的影响来自于对喷墨打印用特定陶瓷油墨的详细和系统的研究，包括对固-固相互作用、固-液相互作用和溶液中静电排斥的研究。了解到的有关简单打印单元的工艺参数、热转换和最终特性的原理将应用于几何复杂的部件，从而实现进一步的发现和后续研究。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop a novel class of versatile, high-yield, nanoparticle ceramic systems for Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP) of biocompatible composite materials for dental restoration applications. The project will focus on the innovation of nanoparticle ceramic materials systems for 3DP, which offer flexible composition, tailorable precursor viscosity, and produce a ceramic yield in the range 50-70 wt. percentage. Further yield increase can be obtained by introducing nanosized particle fillers to the binder inks. A key component in this effort is investigation of the interactions between the nanopowder and the transportation liquid, and the influence of the composition of the entire system on the sintering and densification behavior of printed parts. These issues are of immense technical importance for robust and reliable processing of inkjet printed ceramic objects, specifically with ongoing focus on improving the print resolution. Understanding the complex interplay between composition processing, processing-conversion and conversion-microstructure will provide fundamental ceramic processing knowledge as well as establish technical and commercial feasibility for producing competitive, commercially viable dental materials by 3DP rapid manufacturing using the novel nanoparticle inks. The broader (commercial) impact will be In addition to the commercial benefit and high potential economic payoff expected from a successful effort, the proposed project would have significant impact on broader inkjet and 3D printing research, as well as on the academic and career preparation of students at all levels. The impact on multipurpose, commercially viable inkjet and 3D printing derives from the detailed and systematic investigation of specific ceramic inks for inkjet printing, including the study of solid-solid interactions, solid-liquid interactions, and electrostatic repulsion in solution. The principles learned about processing parameters, thermal conversion, and final properties of the simple printed units will be applied to geometrically intricate parts, thereby enabling further discoveries and follow-on research.