Jiongjie Liu

Project title: Additive manufacturing of polymer-derived ceramics with multiscale architectures (AM-PDCs)

Host Institution: Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Host Supervisor: Dr. Diletta Giuntini

Co-host Institution: Technion–Israel Institute of Technology

Co-host Supervisor: Prof. Boaz Pokroy

Summary project: Most of ceramics are difficult to process due to their high melting points and lack of ductility. How to prepare bulk ceramics with high damage tolerance and complex shapes has become the focus of extensive research. Herein, we propose a strategy to develop and strengthen structural ceramics by multiscale architectures. Using additive manufacturing technologies, the preceramic polymers will first be processed to form three dimensional polymer frameworks that can have a honeycomb structure or various other bioinspired shapes. Through a route based on polymer-derived ceramics, the preceramic polymers will be first chemically modified with metal precursors, and subsequently pyrolyzed to obtain ceramic matrix composites containing metal nanoparticles. The strength and toughness combinations on the macro and micro levels are expected to produce advanced functional ceramic parts. These cellular architectures will allow the implementation of these materials to a wide range of applications of ceramics, such as in aerospace, energy, biomedicine and more.