Precursor material for additive manufacturing of low-density, high-porosity ceramic parts and methods of producing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532953-B2
Application number	US-201816013688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A precursor material is provided for additive manufacturing of a low-density, high-porosity ceramic part. The precursor material includes a body of refractory fibers and a binder in admixture with the body of refractory fibers. The precursor material further includes a viscosity control additive in admixture with the binder and the body of refractory fibers to provide an overall mixture with a viscosity between about 0.3 centipoise and about 150,000 centipoise.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A precursor material for additive manufacturing of a low-density, high-porosity ceramic part, the precursor material comprising:
a body of refractory fibers comprising a body of ceramic fibers including about 50 weight percent to about 80 weight percent silica fibers and about 20 weight percent to about 50 weight percent alumina fibers;
a binder in admixture with the body of refractory fibers; and
a viscosity control additive in admixture with the binder and the body of refractory fibers to provide an overall mixture with a viscosity between about 0.3 centipoise and about 150,000 centipoise.

2. The precursor material of claim 1 wherein the overall mixture can be extruded through a nozzle to manufacture the low-density, high porosity ceramic part.

3. The precursor material of claim 1 wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic material.

4. The precursor material of claim 1 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises xanthan gum.

5. The precursor material of claim 1 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises polyethylene glycol.

6. The precursor material of claim 1 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises polyethylene oxide.

7. The precursor material of claim 1 having a density between about 4 pounds per cubic foot and about 25 pounds per cubic foot.

8. A three-dimensional printer comprising the precursor material of claim 1 .

9. A method for manufacturing a ceramic part comprising:
placing into a three-dimensional printer the precursor material of claim 1 .

10. The precursor material of claim 4 wherein the xanthan gum comprises a weight between about 0.25 percent and about 2.5 percent of a weight of the binder and the body of ceramic fibers before mixing of the viscosity control additive with the binder and the body of ceramic fibers.

11. The precursor material of claim 5 wherein the polyethylene glycol comprises a weight between about 0.25 percent and about 2.5 percent of a weight of the binder and the body of ceramic fibers before mixing of the viscosity control additive with the binder and the body of ceramic fibers.

12. The precursor material of claim 6 wherein polyethylene oxide comprises a weight between about 0.25 percent and about 2.5 percent of a weight of the binder and the body of ceramic fibers before mixing of the viscosity control additive with the binder and the body of ceramic fibers.

13. A three-dimensional printer comprising:
a nozzle; and
a precursor material extrudable through the nozzle, the precursor material comprising:
a body of refractory fibers comprising about 50 weight percent to about 80 weight percent silica fibers and about 20 weight percent to about 50 weight percent alumina fibers;
a binder in admixture with the body of refractory fibers; and
a viscosity control additive in admixture with the binder and the body of refractory fibers to provide an overall mixture with a viscosity between about 0.3 centipoise and about 150,000 centipoise.

14. The three-dimensional printer of claim 13 wherein the binder comprises a thermoplastic material.

15. The three-dimensional printer of claim 13 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises xanthan gum.

16. The three-dimensional printer of claim 13 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises polyethylene glycol.

17. The three-dimensional printer of claim 13 wherein the viscosity control additive comprises polyethylene oxide.

18. The three-dimensional printer of claim 13 wherein the precursor material has a density between about 4 pounds per cubic foot and about 25 pounds per cubic foot.

19. A method for manufacturing a precursor material for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
preparing a refractory fiber slurry comprising a binder and a body of ceramic fibers, the body of ceramic fibers comprising about 50 weight percent to about 80 weight percent silica fibers and about 20 weight percent to about 50 weight percent alumina fibers; and
adding a viscosity control additive to the refractory fiber slurry to provide a slurry with a viscosity between about 0.3 centipoise and about 150,000 centipoise.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising heating the refractory fiber slurry to remove water from the refractory fiber slurry.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Schubert Randall
• Yahata Brennan
• Kolodziejska Joanna
• Lehman Stephen E
• Heng Vann

Classifications

• C04B35/636

  Polysaccharides or derivatives thereof · CPC title

• C04B2235/5224

  Alumina or aluminates · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• C04B35/66

  Monolithic refractories or refractory mortars, including those whether or not containing clay {(making or repairing of linings F27D1/16)} · CPC title

• C04B35/80 Primary

  Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like · CPC title