Direct Ink Writing of Mineral Materials: A review

Due to the intrinsically limited mechanical properties, functionalities and structures of mineral material composites (MMCs) made through traditional fabrication approaches, there is a critical need to develop novel three dimensional (3D) forming techniques that can construct mineral material composites (MMCs) and structures with high performance and functionalities. The direct ink writing (DIW), as a slurry deposition based additive manufacturing approach for MMCs, offers many advantages in terms of high precision, complex geometry, multi-material capability, cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness. This review gives a comprehensive overview on the state-of-art of DIW fabricated MMCs, including material classification, formulation and processing. It presents the key aspects of material processing and their effects on the properties and performance of DIW formed mineral materials. In addition, it illustrates the applications of DIW in the fields of architecture, tissue engineering, functional micro parts and geological engineering modelling.