R. Andris, A. Peters, S. Farias
Synteris, Maryland, United States
Keywords: additive manufacturing, ceramics, carbides, nitrides, net-shape fabrication
Additive manufacturing (AM) can be used to produce technical ceramics with complex geometries and internal structures that are either impossible or too costly to achieve using traditional casting and machining methods. Synteris leverages an advanced AM approach, selective laser reaction sintering (SLRS), that uses a focused laser to initiate in situ chemical reactions between a reactive gas and metal powder precursors. This reaction can synthesize and densify non-oxide ceramics in a single step. As a result, SLRS reduces the need for extensive post-processing and high-temperature heat treatments for improved manufacturing efficiency. Synteris has experience using SLRS to create near net-shape ceramics including SiC, Si3N4, HfC, HfN, ZrC, ZrN, TiC, TiN, TaC, TaN, and AlN. These materials have promising civilian applications in advanced energy systems, including high-temperature heat exchangers, semiconductors, and wear-resistant components in automotive and aerospace industries. SLRS can introduce more complex geometries to heat sinks and other cooling architecture to reduce the part count in integrated electronics. In the military domain, carbides and nitrides can be used for hypersonic vehicle components and thermal protection systems Overall, SLRS can produce next-generation ceramic components, bridging the gap between material performance demands and the design flexibility required for modern engineering applications.