Preparation of Si-O-C-Based Precursor Ceramics for Photo-Curing 3D Printing: Selection of Silicone Prepolymer System and Photoinitiator

Ceramic parts with complex structures can be manufactured by three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. However, the ceramic raw materials available for 3D printing are very limited. This paper mainly focuses on the selection, composition, and proportion optimization of ceramic precursor systems. The optimal photoinitiator was selected by comparing the ultraviolet absorption bands of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone), diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide, and bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phenylphosphine oxide (819) photoinitiators. In addition, the effects of different photoinitiators on system reactions and curing efficiency were considered, and the content of photoinitiators was optimized based on actual conditions. The mercapto-to-vinyl ratio was optimized to obtain Si-O-C-based ceramic raw materials that could be used for photo-curing 3D printing by comparing the ceramic yield, size shrinkage, and mechanical properties.