Robocasting—Printing Ceramics into Functional Materials

Functional ceramic materials with magnetic, electronic, piezoelectric, superconducting and other dielectric properties constitute an important field of materials research. Indeed, their broad potential enables them to be applied in various applications and are considered ‘smart materials. However, ceramics are one of the more difficult materials to fabricate into complex morphologies and are challenging to employ for fine surface robocasting. Robocasting is as an emerging AM process, and despite its challenges, is currently the most viable candidate for the printing of complex ceramic structures and morphologies, which, traditional manufacturing processes are incapable of in their current state. Robocasting differs from other AM techniques as it is capable of printing a precursor ceramic structure, which can be post-processed to produce dense ceramic structures with complex morphologies. As a result, this technique has a unique advantage over other AM technologies, with the freedom to print complex 3D ceramics given that the ceramic formulation (i.e., the ink), is workable. Excitingly, this technique and its applicable scope can be modified to print multi-ceramic functions and shapable ceramic structures. This chapter explores the current state of robocasting technology and the wide range of potential materials that may be employed with this for fabrication purposes. Expert opinion is provided as to the emerging and future potential of this technology, with an appropriate discussion of the current challenges and drawbacks that may currently limit widespread application.