Laminated object manufacturing using ceramic paper products

This article demonstrates the use of commercial inorganic paper in a Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) process. Inorganic papers have found widespread use as heat insulators and battery separators. This article will demonstrate the use of these commercial papers-without significant modification-as feed stock for direct LOM processing of inorganic fiber composites. Both polymer (polyester, polyamide, phenolic) and inorganic laminating agents (sodium silicate) have been tested with ceramic and glass fiber paper products. Preliminary results show that these materials and laminating agents can be cut with a CO2 25 watt laser. Polymer matrix composites have been fabricated with final tensile strengths of 25MPa. Silicate matrix composites have achieved bend strengths of 10 MPa after heat treatments to 700 degrees C.