Ceramic components require very high energy consumption due to synthesis, shaping, and thermal treatment. However, this study suggests that combining the sol-gel process, replica technology, and stereolithography has the potential to produce highly complex geometries with energy savings in each process step. We fabricated light-frame honeycombs of Al2O3, Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BCZT), and BaTiO3 (BT) using 3D-printed templates with varying structural angles between -30° and 30° and investigated their mechanical and piezoelectric properties. The Al2O3 honeycombs showed a maximum strength of approximately 6 MPa, while the BCZT and BaTiO3 honeycombs achieved a d33 above 180 pC/N. Additionally, the BCZT powder was prepared via a sol-gel process, and the impact of the calcination temperature on phase purity was analyzed. The results suggest that there is a large energy-saving potential for the synthesis of BCZT powder. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the fabrication of complex ceramic structures with improved energy efficiency and enhancement of performance.
Keywords: additive manufacturing; ceramic honeycombs; piezoelectric porous ceramics; replica method; sol–gel method.