Advanced Ceramics, a Bosch startup, collaborated with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the chemicals company BASF to create the world’s first 3D printed ceramic microreactor. For the process, the team used technical ceramics.
Microreactors are containers for chemical reactions. Few materials, other than ceramics, can withstand the extreme conditions caused by high-temperature chemical reactions in terms of heat, stability, and corrosion.
“To control and monitor a chemical reaction, a reactor needs to have hardness, heat resistance, and complex structures inside. 3D printed technical ceramics bring these excellent properties to the table.”
The market research company Data Bridge forecasts that the global market for technical ceramics will be worth around 16 billion euros by 2029. This versatile material is in demand in a wide range of industries:
Bosch Advanced Ceramics was well aware that technical ceramics are also very well suited for chemical reactions. According to Prosiegel, the challenge was to find a process that was capable of producing the complex structures inside a ceramic reactor.
And to solve this task, the Advanced Ceramics team collaborated combined their company’s two core competencies: technical ceramics and 3D printing.
Prosiegel added, “We’ve successfully employed 3D printing to produce ceramic components that can’t be made by conventional means.”
BASF uses this microreactor in basic research to monitor chemical reactions at ideal temperatures. Large reactors require more raw materials and energy. Experts can extrapolate small-scale results for large-scale use. Prosiegel compares it to a chef testing a new recipe on a small scale before adding it to the menu. Next, BASF will print 10 to 20 similar reactors. Prosiegel sees a bright future for technical ceramics in the chemicals sector.
About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Global News page for more updates on Global 3D Printing News. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Manufactur3D™ is India’s Leading and Premier Online Magazine carved out for the 3D Printing Business community in India and globe.
©2022 – Manufactur3D Magazine | All Right Reserved | Developed by SquashCode.