ISSN: 2734-9438
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Effect of moisture content on printability, deformation, and drying shrinkage of extrusion-based 3D-printed white clay ceramics
Abstract
This work studies the role of moisture content in extrusion-based 3D printing of white clay. The clay used in this study is a kaolinite-rich aluminosilicate material, with SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ as the main oxides. Different moisture levels were prepared to examine how the paste changes during deformation testing, extrusion, and drying. At 25% moisture, the clay still behaved as a plastic body, with a deformation ratio of about 0.26. However, the paste was rather stiff under these conditions and did not feed smoothly during printing. When the moisture content was increased to about 30-35%, extrusion became more stable, as the paste could pass through the nozzle more easily. At higher moisture content, close to 38%, the material flowed better, but the printed bars became more sensitive to drying deformation. After drying at 60°C, the average shrinkage of the printed bars was about 9.79%. Warping, surface wrinkling, and small cracks were also observed, especially in samples with higher moisture content. The results show that moisture content has to be carefully controlled because it improves flowability but may reduce shape stability after printing. For the present clay system, a moisture range of about 30-35% appears to be a practical starting point for extrusion-based ceramic printing.
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