UV-assisted drop casting of photocurable ceramic suspensions: The role of venting and organic additives in dense zirconia beads manufacturing

UV-assisted drop casting is an effective technique for shaping ceramic beads; however, venting ceramic suspensions remains a critical factor in achieving well-densified structures. This study investigates optimal venting strategies for manufacturing zirconia beads. Four systems were evaluated, differing in the presence of an anti-foaming agent and additional vacuum venting. The viscosity of the suspensions was studied, and then ceramic beads were obtained by the UV-assisted drop casting method. The sintered beads were then analyzed for their sphericity, size distribution, Vickers hardness, fracture toughness and cross-sectional porosity. In addition, the microstructure of the series that was found to be the best was analyzed in detail. As a result of the study, a mixing and venting procedure was selected that minimizes defects and produces zirconia beads with good mechanical properties and uniform morphology. • Ceramic beads of sphericity above 0.98 were produced using UV-assisted drop casting. • Venting methods and organic additives were shown to influence the size distribution of the zirconia microbeads. • Planetary mixing with in-situ gas removal ensured effective venting of aqueous slurries.