Research on Ceramic Slurries for Near‐Net‐Shape Large‐Sized Silicon Carbide Mirrors via Vat Photopolymerization

ABSTRACT This study presents a scalable additive manufacturing strategy based on vat photopolymerization (VPP) for fabricating large‐sized silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic components. The core innovation lies in the multi‐scale optimization of the slurry system, including particle shaping, synergistic dispersant design, and high solid loading. Through this approach, a SiC photosensitive slurry with 52 vol.% solid content was developed, exhibiting good rheological behavior and stable curing performance. The optimized slurry achieved a curing depth exceeding 170 µm and a linear shrinkage below 2%, ensuring high dimensional accuracy during the printing process. In addition, the slurry maintained stable dispersion and processability, which is critical for the fabrication of large‐area components. Benefiting from these properties, SiC mirror structures with sizes up to 1000 mm were successfully fabricated, demonstrating low deformation and good surface quality. The fabricated components also exhibited reliable mechanical performance after densification, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed processing route. This work establishes an effective material and process strategy for the near‐net‐shape fabrication of large, high‐performance SiC ceramic components and provides a practical pathway for advanced optical and structural applications.