Fabrication of hydrophobic zirconia ceramic mould inserts through the integration of self-assembled monolayer modification and stereolithography 3D printing technology

IF 5.1 2区材料科学 Q1 MATERIALS SCIENCE, CERAMICS

Ceramics International Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.12.531

Yan Lou , Qingke Yu , Jiangtao Yu , Piao Qv , Guijian Huang , Mingyu Liu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Microstructured ceramic mould inserts face significant challenges in practical applications due to their hydrophilicity. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), recognized as a promising surface modification technology for micro-nanostructured surfaces, offer a potential solution to this issue. Meanwhile, stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, with its exceptional flexibility and precise manufacturing capabilities for complex structures, is particularly well-suited for applications in micro-nanostructured moulds. This study proposes a novel method for fabricating hydrophobic zirconia microstructured mould inserts by combining SLA 3D printing with SAM modification. The results show that phosphonic acid SAMs significantly reduce the surface free energy of zirconia ceramics, transforming the surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic and increasing the water contact angle by 114.8 %. Compared to commercial zirconia ceramics, SAM technology demonstrates superior modification effects on 3D-printed zirconia surfaces, achieving over twofold improvements in hydrophobicity and frictional properties. Among the three SAMs with varying chain lengths, short-chain hexyl phosphonic acid (HPA) SAMs exhibit the highest molecular packing density and order. Additionally, phosphonic acid SAMs significantly reduce the friction coefficient of 3D-printed zirconia, effectively minimizing surface fatigue and wear while enhancing wear resistance. The study identifies molecular packing density and order as critical factors influencing surface wettability, friction performance, and stability, with these properties improving consistently with greater packing density and order. Finally, zirconia microstructured mould inserts modified with HPA SAMs successfully injection-moulded polypropylene (PP) micro-cylinders with a diameter of 650 μm and a height of 1195 μm, achieving automatic demoulding. This study highlights the potential of 3D-printed zirconia moulds in practical applications, offering new directions for innovation in this field.

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结合自组装单层改性和立体光刻3D打印技术制备疏水性氧化锆陶瓷模具镶件

由于其亲水性，微结构陶瓷模具刀片在实际应用中面临重大挑战。自组装单层膜（SAMs）被认为是一种很有前途的微纳米结构表面改性技术，为解决这一问题提供了潜在的解决方案。同时，立体光刻（SLA） 3D打印以其卓越的灵活性和复杂结构的精确制造能力，特别适合于微纳米结构模具的应用。本研究提出了一种将SLA 3D打印与SAM改性相结合的制备疏水性氧化锆微结构模具镶件的新方法。结果表明，膦酸SAMs显著降低了氧化锆陶瓷的表面自由能，使表面由亲水性转变为疏水性，水接触角提高了114.8%。与商业氧化锆陶瓷相比，SAM技术在3d打印氧化锆表面上表现出优越的改性效果，在疏水性和摩擦性能方面实现了两倍以上的改善。在三种不同链长的SAMs中，短链己基膦酸（HPA） SAMs表现出最高的分子堆积密度和排列顺序。此外，膦酸SAMs显著降低了3d打印氧化锆的摩擦系数，有效地减少了表面疲劳和磨损，同时提高了耐磨性。研究发现，分子填充密度和排列顺序是影响表面润湿性、摩擦性能和稳定性的关键因素，而这些性能随着填充密度和排列顺序的增加而不断提高。最后，利用HPA SAMs改性的氧化锆微结构模具成功注塑出直径650 μm、高度1195 μm的聚丙烯（PP）微圆柱体，实现了自动脱模。这项研究突出了3d打印氧化锆模具在实际应用中的潜力，为该领域的创新提供了新的方向。

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来源期刊

Ceramics International 工程技术-材料科学：硅酸盐

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

15.40%

发文量

4558

审稿时长

25 days

期刊介绍： Ceramics International covers the science of advanced ceramic materials. The journal encourages contributions that demonstrate how an understanding of the basic chemical and physical phenomena may direct materials design and stimulate ideas for new or improved processing techniques, in order to obtain materials with desired structural features and properties. Ceramics International covers oxide and non-oxide ceramics, functional glasses, glass ceramics, amorphous inorganic non-metallic materials (and their combinations with metal and organic materials), in the form of particulates, dense or porous bodies, thin/thick films and laminated, graded and composite structures. Process related topics such as ceramic-ceramic joints or joining ceramics with dissimilar materials, as well as surface finishing and conditioning are also covered. Besides traditional processing techniques, manufacturing routes of interest include innovative procedures benefiting from externally applied stresses, electromagnetic fields and energetic beams, as well as top-down and self-assembly nanotechnology approaches. In addition, the journal welcomes submissions on bio-inspired and bio-enabled materials designs, experimentally validated multi scale modelling and simulation for materials design, and the use of the most advanced chemical and physical characterization techniques of structure, properties and behaviour. Technologically relevant low-dimensional systems are a particular focus of Ceramics International. These include 0, 1 and 2-D nanomaterials (also covering CNTs, graphene and related materials, and diamond-like carbons), their nanocomposites, as well as nano-hybrids and hierarchical multifunctional nanostructures that might integrate molecular, biological and electronic components.