A review of defects in vat photopolymerization additive-manufactured ceramics: Characterization, control, and challenges

Additive Manufacturing (AM), as an adjunct and extension of conventional equivalent and subtractive manufacturing technologies, aims to fabricate complex shapes and hollow structures. Among the various techniques of AM, vat photopolymerization (VP) has wide application due to high precision (∼μm), high surface quality, and high density. However, the density and mechanical properties of VP additive-manufactured ceramics are comparatively lower than that of conventional manufacturing techniques. This discrepancy mainly arises from the presence of more manufactured defects in VP additive-manufactured ceramics. In this paper, a comprehensive review of recent advances in defects specific to VP additive-manufactured ceramic is presented. Characterization and quantitative analysis of defects by X-CT are highlighted. Furthermore, control methods for managing these defects are summarized. Finally, current challenges and perspectives on the future research direction are discussed and provided. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the defects in additive-manufactured ceramics.