The 3DfunSiC project aims to produce wood-based biogenic SiC ceramics using binder jetting technology, with a view to developing an energy- and resource-efficient manufacturing process for high-performance ceramics. The use of wood as a renewable raw material replaces conventionally produced, highly energy-intensive SiC powder, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint. At the same time, additive manufacturing allows for optimal utilisation of the materials used and enables the creation of novel, bionically inspired geometries.
A key challenge in the manufacture of complex ceramic components is reliably removing unbound powder from internal voids after printing. To overcome this limitation, the Chair of Fungal Biotechnology in Wood Science is researching the use of wood-degrading fungi as a biological post-processing tool. Fungi such as Trichoderma reesei possess the ability to depolymerise cellulose and other wood components using extracellular enzymes. This enables them to specifically metabolise the wood granules remaining within the component.
This fungus-assisted depowdering could make previously unfeasible geometries achievable. Furthermore, the substitution of fossil-based raw materials with biogenic raw materials, as well as the elimination of particularly energy-intensive process steps, leads to a significant improvement in the environmental footprint. Consequently, the process to be developed in this project has the potential to substantially enhance both sustainability and geometric design freedom in the ceramics industry.
| Project duration: | 2022 – 2026 | |
| Team: | Felix Bachmann; J. Philipp Benz | |
