Adjusting the surface quality of printed components via controlling dispersant content to improve the electrical performance of DLP-printed PZT ceramics and devices

This paper aims to enhance the surface quality of digital light processing (DLP) printed lead zirconate titanate (PZT) components by controlling the content of BYK-111 dispersant, thereby improving the electrical properties of the resulting printed piezoelectric ceramics and devices. 55 vol% high solid loading PZT slurries with different dispersant contents were prepared and assessed for their dispersion stability, rheological behavior and curing characteristics. The slurry containing 1 wt% BYK-111 demonstrated ideal rheological properties, notably achieving a low viscosity of 1.37 Pa·s at 100 s⁻¹. The surface roughness of the printed ceramic component was reduced to 69.3 nm, representing a 57.1 % improvement in surface quality compared to other dispersant levels. The printed PZT ceramic exhibited superior piezoelectric performance, with a piezoelectric constant d₃₃ reaching 445 pC/N, surpassing most existing 3D-printed macro-sized piezoelectric ceramics. Furthermore, a DLP-printed 1–3 piezoelectric array was encapsulated to fabricate an acoustic emission (AE) sensor, which achieved a low substrate noise level of 31 dB and a high signal-to-noise ratio of 62 dB, outperforming commercial sensors. The optimal BYK-111 content not only ensures favorable dispersion stability and rheological properties in the slurry, but also significantly enhances the surface quality and density of the printed ceramic components, ultimately leading to the production of high-performance piezoelectric ceramics and devices.