Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Alliedsignal Inc.

Stratasys, Inc.

Mukesh Agarwala

Stephen C Danforth

Ahmad Safari

Vikram Ramesh Jamalabad

Amit Bandyopadhyay

Victor F Janas

Noshir Langrana

Rajesh K Panda

Remco Van Weeren

Amit Bandyopadghyay

William R Priedeman, Jr

Philip J Whalen

John P Pollinger

A process for making ceramic composites includes the steps of: a) forming a polymer composition into a three-dimensional mold; b) filling said three-dimensional mold with one or more ceramic containing compositions; c) heating said filled mold to dry and sinter the ceramic; d) removing at least a portion of said three-dimensional mold thereby forming voids; and e) filling the voids with a second composition which has a piezoelectric coefficient which is substantially different from the piezoelectric coefficient of said ceramic structure. Steps a through e yield a controlled, non-random piezoelectric ceramic composite having 2-3, 3-2 or 3--3 connectivity with respect to the sintered ceramic and the second composition throughout the composite.

Methods for producing novel ceramic composites

A fused deposition process is used to form three-dimensional solid objects from a mixture including a particulate composition dispersed in a binder. The article is formed by depositing the mixture in repeated layers of predefined thickness, with each layer solidifying before the next adjacent layer is dispensed. Following formation and a binder removal step, the article may be at least partially densified to achieve preselected properties. The process permits three-dimensional articles to be formed relatively quickly and inexpensively, without the need for molds or other tooling.

Solid freeform fabrication methods

A ceramic component is manufactured rapidly using a mold made directly from a solid freeform manufacturing process. Solid freeform fabrication, or rapid prototyping, procedures are used to generate molds of materials that are soluble or otherwise fugitive. A gel casting suspension containing ceramic and emulsifying agents is poured into the cavity of the mold and caused to set. The mold is then removed by dissolution or heat treatment, leaving intact the gelcast part. Conventional procedures are then utilized to densify the gelcast component to the required final component. Time consuming and expensive machine tooling procedures are virtually eliminated. Ceramic components are generated rapidly in a cost effective manner.

Gel cast molding with fugitive molds

A process for forming novel ceramic composites is described. The disclosed process allows for novel composite designs, including composites with regions containing different materials. Moreover, the disclosed process allows for the manufacture of composites with volume fraction gradients of different types of material. Composites with fine-scale microstructures may be formed.

Ceramic composites and methods for producing same

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Highland Park, NJ, United States of America

Mukesh Agarwala