Designed Extrudate for Additive Manufacturing of Zirconium Diboride by Ceramic On-demand Extrusion

This work describes a process by which zirconium diboride (ZrB2) parts may be fabricated using the Ceramic On-Demand Extrusion (CODE) process. An oxide-carbide-nitride system consisting of ceramic powders and pre-ceramic organics, designed to yield ZrB2 after reaction sintering, has been developed to produce an aqueous-based extrudate for subsequent processing in the CODE system. Pressurelessly sintered test specimens containing 1 wt% PVA binder achieve high relative density ≥ 99%. The viscoelastic response of the extrudate was characterized via spindle rheometry with a small sample adapter. Batches with 1 wt% PVA and 0.5 wt% Methocel show strong shear thinning characteristic, under shear rates of 1-28 s-1. XRD and SEM were utilized for microstructural analysis to determine phase development and microstructural morphology.