Additive manufacturing techniques for fabricating complex ceramic components from preceramic polymers

Capsule summary THE MATERIALS Manufacturers can use preceramic polymers to produce ceramic components in a range of compositions using a variety of additive manufacturing technologies. Preceramic polymers even can overcome some of the problems that are intrinsic to additive manufacturing in general. THE APPLICATION Modifying the composition, molecular architecture, and molecular weight of preceramic polymers allows adaptation of these materials to specific processing requirements of individual additive manufacturing technologies. THE OPPORTUNITY Further development of new additive manufacturing technologies, in addition to improvement of existing technologies, will enable manufacturing of advanced ceramic components with enhanced mechanical characteristics and new functional properties.