Formulation of a Ceramic Ink for 3D Inkjet Printing

Due to its multi‐material capabilities, 3D inkjet printing allows for the fabrication of com‐ponents with functional elements which may significantly reduce the production steps. The poten‐tial to print electronics requires jettable polymer‐ceramic composites for thermal management. In this study, a respective material was formulated by functionalizing submicron alumina particles by 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate  (MPS)  and  suspending  them  in  a  mixture  of  the  oli‐gourethane Genomer 4247 with two acrylate functionalities and a volatile solvent. Ink jetting tests were performed, as well as thermal conductance and mechanical property measurements. The ma‐terial met the strict requirements of the printing technology, showing viscosities of around 16 mPa∙s as a liquid. After solidification, it exhibited a ceramic content of 50 vol%, with a thermal conductance of 1 W/(m∙K). The resulting values reflect the physical possibilities within the frame of the allowed tolerances set by the production method.