Vat Photopolymerization Research Articles

Enhanced piezoelectric properties of additively manufactured BCZT with an oriented ceramic lamellar structure formed via vat photopolymerization

Advances in additive manufacturing have enabled the creation of piezoceramic materials with complex architectures. However, the lack of a clear structural design strategy limits their performance and application in high-performance piezoelectric transducer devices. This work outlines the additive manufacture of a novel sandwich architecture based on a porous (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3 (BCZT) layer containing oriented ceramic lamellae. The d33 charge coefficients and g33 voltage coefficients of the optimized porous ceramic were 1.16 times and 2.11 times higher than those of the dense counterparts respectively. After electroding the aligned lamellar ceramic with an indium tine oxide film a piezoelectric sensor was obtained which, when subject to a pressure of 7.5 MPa, produced a open circuit voltage of 173 V. This paper provides a new structural design strategy to effectively improve the performance of piezoelectric ceramics, and provides new opportunites for the design and production of additive manufactured piezoelectric sensors and energy harvesting devices.

Unraveling the reinforcing mechanisms for cementitious composites with 3D printed multidirectional auxetic lattices using X-ray computed tomography

This study investigates the mechanical properties of cementitious composites with 3D-printed auxetic lattices, featuring negative Poisson’s ratios (auxetic behavior) in multiple directions. These lattices were fabricated using vat photopolymerization 3D printing, and three base materials with varying stiffness and deformation capacities were analyzed to determine their impact on the composites’ mechanical behavior. To unravel the reinforcing mechanisms of multidirectional auxetic lattices, which exhibit auxetic behavior in both planar and out-of-plane directions, X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) was utilized to analyze composite damage evolutions under different strain levels. The micro-CT characterization reveals that auxetic lattices more effectively constrain crack growth and dissipate energy by distributing stress evenly within the cement matrix. In contrast, due to lack of lateral confinement, the non-auxetic lattice reinforced composites primarily dissipate energy through extensive crack propagation and interfacial damage, leading to lower peak strength. When strain exceeding 5%, although the confinement from the auxetic behavior diminished with crack propagation, the lattice can still maintain the composite’s structural integrity, resulting in 1.7 times higher densification energy than conventional cement-based materials. These findings provide valuable insights for designing auxetic lattice-reinforced cementitious composites with enhanced load-bearing capacity and improved dissipation capabilities.

Industrial potential of additive manufacturing of transparent ceramics: A review

Transparent ceramics is a unique class of materials, with performance comparable to single crystals, but a high process flexibility given by ceramic technology. Currently, traditional ceramic shaping technologies reliably produce components but are limited in terms of shapes and the use of multiple compositions in a single component. The presented review aims to illustrate how the introduction of additive manufacturing (AM) technology in the production of transparent ceramic components opens new possibilities, both thanks to the high variability of shapes and thanks to the high precision in producing parts with a controlled variation of composition. Within this review, several AM techniques and their current state of the art are analysed, with focus on their advantages in producing transparent ceramics, along with the associated challenges and limitations. The future perspective and possibilities for an industrial production are discussed, with emphasis on the most promising AM techniques, direct ink writing and vat photopolymerisation, pointing out the future scenario for the transparent ceramics market.

Remarkable Dielectric Breakdown Strength of Printable Polyelectrolyte Photopolymer Complexes.

Polymer-based dielectrics are struggling to keep pace with the increasing demands of modern electronics. This lag in dielectric performance has spurred significant interest in the production of advanced dielectrics via novel chemistries and processing techniques. Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) have recently shown great promise as dielectric insulation, but processing challenges presented by these ionically bound networks limit their use to conformal thin films. Recent advances have enabled the additive manufacturing of PECs with vat photopolymerization, allowing the creation of a polyelectrolyte complex of arbitrary shape. Herein, multiple polyelectrolyte resin formulations, comprised of polyethylenimine and methacrylic acid (with varying amounts of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and/or N,N-dimethylacrylamide), are investigated for the production of additively manufactured dielectric insulators. These dielectrics not only possess high dielectric breakdown strengths (>300 kV/mm), but their dielectric behavior can also be readily tailored through resin formulation and post-processing conditions. The presented vat photopolymerization of PECs allows for the creation of bulk dielectrics with arbitrary geometry, while the novel chemistry provides a practical route forward to produce dielectrics with precisely tailored properties for specific applications.

Three-Dimensional Printing by Vat Photopolymerization on Textile Fabrics: Method and Mechanical Properties of the Textile/Polymer Composites

Composites of textile fabrics and 3D-printed layers have been investigated thoroughly during the last decade. Usually, material extrusion such as the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique is used to build such composites, revealing challenges in preparing form-locking connections between both materials due to the highly viscous polymer melt, which can hardly be pressed into textile fabrics. Resins used for 3D printing by vat photopolymerization, i.e., for stereolithography (SLA), are less viscous and can thus penetrate deeper into textile fabrics; however, fixing a textile on the printing bed that is fully dipped into the resin is more complicated. Here, we present one possible solution to easily fix textile fabrics for SLA printing with consumer printers according to the digital light processing (DLP) sub-method. Also, we show the results of a study of the mechanical properties of the resulting textile/polymer composites, as revealed by three-point bending tests.

3D-printed thermally expanded monolithic foam for solid-phase extraction of multiple trace metals.

Digital light processing (DLP) 3DP, commercial acrylate-based photocurable resins, and thermally expandable microspheres-incorporated flexible photocurable resins were employedto fabricate an SPE column with athermally expanded monolithic foam for extracting Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb ions prior to the determination using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. After optimizationofthe thermally activated foaming, the design and fabrication of the SPE column, and the automatic analytical system, the DLP 3D-printed SPE column with the thermally expanded monolithic foam extracted the metal ions with up to 14.8-fold enhancement (relative to that without incorporating the microspheres), with absolute extraction efficiencies all higher than 95.6%, and method detection limits in the range from 0.5 to 5.2ng L-1. We validated the reliability and applicability of this method by determination ofthe metal ions in several reference materials (CASS-4, SLRS-5, 1643f, and Seronorm Trace Elements Urine L-2) and spikedseawater, river water, ground water, and human urine samples. Theresults illustrated that to incorporate the thermally expandable microspheres into the photocurable resins with a post-printing heating treatment enabled the DLP 3D-printed thermally expanded monolithic foam to substantially improve the extraction of the metal ions, thereby extending the applicability of SPE devices fabricated by vat photopolymerization 3DP techniques.

Effect of sintering temperature on feature resolution and flexural strength of ceramics fabricated through vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing

PurposeAlthough ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) could be used to fabricate complex, high-resolution parts for diverse, functional applications, one ongoing challenge is optimizing the post-process, particularly sintering, conditions to consistently produce geometrically accurate and mechanically robust parts. This study aims to investigate how sintering temperature affects feature resolution and flexural properties of silica-based parts formed by vat photopolymerization (VPP) AM.Design/methodology/approachTest artifacts were designed to evaluate features of different sizes, shapes and orientations, and three-point bend specimens printed in multiple orientations were used to evaluate mechanical properties. Sintering temperatures were varied between 1000°C and 1300°C.FindingsDeviations from designed dimensions often increased with higher sintering temperatures and/or larger features. Higher sintering temperatures yielded parts with higher strength and lower strain at break. Many features exhibited defects, often dependent on geometry and sintering temperature, highlighting the need for further analysis of debinding and sintering parameters.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time test artifacts have been designed for ceramic VPP. This work also offers insights into the effect of sintering temperature and print orientation on flexural properties. These results provide design guidelines for a particular material, while the methodology outlined for assessing feature resolution and flexural strength is broadly applicable to other ceramics, enabling more predictable part performance when considering the future design and manufacture of complex ceramic parts.

3D printed SiOC architecture towards terahertz electromagnetic interference shielding and absorption

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and absorption materials can effectively mitigate the undesired pollution or noise caused by terahertz (THz) waves. The development of THz EMI shielding materials that are primarily based on absorption mechanisms to avoid secondary pollution caused by reflection is still in big demand. Herein, an absorption-dominated precursor-derived SiOC ceramic (PDC-SiOC) architecture for THz wave EMI shielding and absorption was reported. The EMI shielding properties of the bulk SiOC ceramic were studied. More than 93 % of THz EM waves were absorbed by the synthesized SiOC ceramic from 1.2 to 1.6 THz. Furthermore, lightweight honeycomb-structured SiOC architecture which was inspired by the wings of moth was fabricated by vat photopolymerization 3D printing combined with following pyrolysis. The EMI shielding properties and mechanism of the honeycomb SiOC architecture in THz bands were also discussed. The highest shielding effectiveness (SE) of the honeycomb SiOC architecture was up to 64.1 dB, and the transmissivity was below 1.4 % from 0.2 to 1.6 THz. In addition, more than 97–99.8 % of THz waves were absorbed in 0.8–1.6 THz. The excellent EMI shielding performance of the architecture was mainly attributed to its outstanding THz EM wave absorption ability. Finally, the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the architecture were further studied. The compressive and flexural strength of honeycomb architecture was 1.2 and 16.5 MPa, respectively. The result also proved that the honeycomb SiOC architecture was resistant to high temperatures up to 1100 °C under inert atmosphere. This work provides promising high-efficiency architecture towards THz EMI shielding and absorption.

Thermal treatment influence on optical properties of 3D printed objects by vat photopolymerization

Thermal treatment influence on optical properties of 3D printed objects by vat photopolymerization

Comparative evaluation of vat photopolymerization and steel tool molds on the performance of injection molded and overmolded tensile specimens

AbstractThis study explores the use of vat polymerization stereolithography (SLA) for fabricating mold tooling, subsequently utilized in injection molding (IM) and overmolding of tensile specimens and directly compared to those produced using metal molds. The results first find the manufacturing time for an SLA‐fabricated mold is remarkably short, approximately 6 h, presenting a substantial improvement over traditional methods. Mechanical testing revealed that the tensile specimens from the SLA‐fabricated molds exhibited the highest tensile strength among all overmolding batches. This performance was consistent with the tensile bars produced using metal molds, demonstrating the viability of SLA‐fabricated molds for overmolding applications and highlighting the potential of FDM to customize the properties of final products. However, variations in mold types impacted the dimensional tolerance and tensile strength of the final specimens. Metal mold‐fabricated tensile bars exhibited superior dimensional accuracy and maximum tensile strength (50.6–61.7 MPa) compared to those produced with SLA‐fabricated molds (46.9–55.9 MPa). These differences are attributed to the rougher surface finish inherent to the layer‐by‐layer construction of SLA and the internal stresses and defects resulting from lower thermal conductivity and uneven cooling. In conclusion, this study underscores the promising future applications of SLA‐fabricated molds in overmolding, offering reduced manufacturing costs and enhanced design freedom. The findings support the potential of SLA to revolutionize mold fabrication, thereby extending its utility and optimizing the production of polymer components with customized properties.Highlights SLA molds compared to metal molds for direct injection molding and overmolding. FFF preforms with varied geometries were overmolded to finalize the specimens. Joint configurations in overmolding improved tensile performance. Overmolding showed better dimensional accuracy than FFF specimens. SLA mold preparation significantly reduced manufacturing costs.

Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Parameter Dependency of Novel, Doubly Re-Entrant Auxetic Honeycomb Structures.

This study proposes a new, doubly re-entrant auxetic unit-cell design that is based on the widely used auxetic honeycomb structure. Our objective was to develop a structure that preserves and enhances the advantages of the auxetic honeycomb while eliminating all negative aspects. The doubly re-entrant geometry design aims to enhance the mechanical properties, while eliminating the buckling deformation characteristic of the re-entrant deformation mechanism. The effects of the geometric modification are described and evaluated using two parameters, offset and deg. A series of experiments were conducted on a wide range of parameters based on these two parameters. Specimens were printed via the vat photopolymerization process and were subjected to a compression test. Our aim was to investigate the mechanical properties (energy absorption and compressive force) and the deformation behaviour of these specimens in relation to the relevant parameters. The novel geometry achieved the intended properties, outperforming the original auxetic honeycomb structure. Increasing the offset and deg parameters results in increasing the energy absorption capability (up to 767%) and the maximum compressive force (up to 17 times). The right parameter choice eliminates buckling and results in continuous auxetic behaviour. Finally, the parameter dependency of the deformation behaviour was predicted by analytical approximation as well.

Improved mechanical properties of porous Si3N4 ceramics strengthened by β-Si3N4 seeds fabricated by vat photopolymerization

Porous Si3N4 ceramics are widely applied in aerospace and mechanical fields owing to their excellent properties. Furthermore, vat photopolymerization (VPP) technology can fabricate Si3N4 components with complicated structures and high precision, but its layer-by-layer printing method leads to poor mechanical properties of ceramics. In this study, porous Si3N4 ceramics with a porosity of 28.41 % strengthened by directional β-Si3N4 were fabricated by combining VPP technology and seeding method. Rheological behavior and curing properties of the slurry were explored, and the influence of β-Si3N4 content on the mechanical properties of printed Si3N4 ceramics was investigated systematically. With the increase of β-Si3N4 content, the orientation degree of β-Si3N4 grains increased gradually, while fracture toughness and flexural strength of the ceramics exhibited a trend of increased first and then decreased and Vickers hardness gradually decreased. As β-Si3N4 content increased to 5 wt%, the fracture toughness and flexural strength of porous Si3N4 ceramics were improved from 4.23 MPa m1/2 and 214.7 MPa–5.65 MPa m1/2 and 272.0 MPa, respectively. Therefore, this work indicates that vat photopolymerization combined with seeding method is a promising approach for the fabrication of porous Si3N4 ceramics with high performance and complex structures.

Effect of Al2O3 coating on the properties of Si3N4 ceramics prepared by vat photopolymerization

The preparation of Si3N4 ceramics by vat photopolymerization (VPP) has motivated increasing research interest. However, it is challenging to prepare Si3N4 ceramics by VPP due to the high UV-light absorbance and refractive index of powder. In this paper, a method for Al2O3-coated Si3N4 powder was proposed. Combined with the boehmite-coated and high-temperature treatment, Al2O3 was successfully coated on the surface of Si3N4 powder. The effect of Al2O3 content on the properties of Si3N4 powders, slurry and the sintered Si3N4 samples were investigated. The Al2O3 coating layer not only improves the curing forming ability of Si3N4 slurries, but also can directly act as one of the sintering aids of Si3N4 ceramics. The bulk density of the samples decreases from 3.04 ± 0.02 g/cm3 to 2.97 ± 0.01 g/cm3 with the increase of coating content, while the porosity increases from 5.38 ± 0.89 % to 7.54 ± 0.63 %. The sample of 5 wt % Al2O3 coating content has the maximum flexural strength of 474.28 ± 16.38 MPa and the highest relative density of 94.62 ± 0.89 %. This work can not only obtain a great modification effect, but also promote the dense sintering of Si3N4 ceramics during subsequent stages, which provides a constructive method for modifying Si3N4 powders to achieve photopolymerization.

Study on performance regulation of electro-mechanical properties 3D printed BaTiO3/HA porous structure composite ceramic

BaTiO3/Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 composite ceramic is an outstanding representative of piezoelectric biomaterials, with excellent biocompatibility and piezoelectric effect, and has potential applications in the field of bone tissue repair. In this work, vat photopolymerization 3D printing technology was used to fabricate triply periodic minimal surface structure BaTiO3/Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 composite ceramic bone tissue scaffolds with different pore sizes and porosity, and their mechanical and electrical properties were studied. First, the ceramic slurry configuration process was optimized to obtain a ceramic slurry with high solid content (45 vol%) and excellent rheological properties. Then the effect of sintering temperature on microstructure, relative density, mechanical properties, and electrical properties is discussed. The results show that when sintering at 1300 °C, the BaTiO3/Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 composite ceramic has the highest relative density (99.18 %), the highest compressive strength (44 MPa), large relative dielectric constant (379–389), and low dielectric loss. The polarization electric field strength of the BaTiO3/Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 composite ceramic was set to 15 kV/cm through the test of the hysteresis loop. Finally, based on multi-physics coupled finite element simulation, the effects of different porosity and different pore sizes on stress distribution and piezoelectric potential were analyzed, and the relationship between them was explored through experiments. The results show that as the porosity increases and the pore size decreases, the mechanical properties of the scaffold decrease significantly, and its compressive strength ranges between 1.67 and 4.26 MPa; as the porosity increases and the pore size increases, the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) of the scaffold showed a decreasing trend, and its d33 ranged between 2 and 9 pC/N. The mechanical and electrical properties of the scaffold meet the performance requirements of cancellous bone. In summary, this work provides a strategy for the application of customized BaTiO3/Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 composite ceramic scaffolds in new-generation orthopedic implants.

Zirconia specimens printed by vat photopolymerization: Mechanical properties, fatigue properties, and fractography analysis.

The mechanical and fatigue properties of zirconia specimens printed by vat photopolymerization (VPP) were evaluated and compared with those of zirconia specimens milled by computer numerical control (CNC). Bar-shaped specimens were printed by stereolithography (SL) and digital light processing (DLP). CNC-milled specimens were used as control samples. The fracture toughness, hardness, and flexural strength properties of the zirconia specimens were evaluated via single edge V-notch beam tests, Vickers hardness tests, and 3-point bending tests. Dynamic fatigue tests were carried out in distilled water using a step-stress test. After static bending and dynamic step-stress testing, fractography analysis was performed. Statistical analysis was carried out to compare the fracture toughness, hardness, flexural strength, and fatigue cycle results of each group (α = 0.05). The fracture toughness values did not significantly differ among the groups (p>0.05). The flexural strength was 894.10MPa for SL, 831.46MPa for DLP, and 1140.39MPa for CNC. The flexural strength of CNC was greater than that of SL and DLP (p<0.01). The mean fatigue cycles were 23498.07 for SL, 19858.60 for DLP, and 31566.80 for CNC. The mean fatigue failure strength was 643.13MPa for SL, 530.63MPa for DLP, and 903.75MPa for CNC. The fatigue failure strength of CNC was greater than that of SL and DLP (p<0.05). Fractography analysis revealed material defects at the fracture origin for each group. A partially fused structure of the incompletely debonded resin could be observed in SL, and a porous region of incompletely sintered zirconia grains could be observed in CNC. The fracture toughness and hardness of zirconia printed by VPP are comparable to those of zirconia milled by CNC. However, zirconia milled by CNC has superior static flexural strength and dynamic fatigue resistance. Further studies are needed to explore the clinical applications of VPP-printed zirconia.

Vat photopolymerization 3D printing of glass microballoon-reinforced TPMS meta-structures

Advancements in additive manufacturing coincide with the influx of assiduous research in realizing complex structures using printable composite materials with tunable properties. In this research study, photocurable resins with a broad range of mechanical properties were hybridized with ceramic particles to engineer the overall mechanical response. The newly formulated printable resins comprised up to 20 wt.% glass microballoons, balancing the tunability of the composite properties and manufacturability by overcoming light-reinforcement challenges. The compressive and tensile bulk properties were first assessed using additively manufactured samples tested under quasi-static loading. Complementary digital image correlation (DIC) was used to resolve the strain fields, revealing insights about the mechanical behavior and failure modes as a function of reinforcement weight ratio. Despite the expected hyperelastic constitutive behavior and shared macromolecular composition, the neat and hybridized photocurable resins exhibited distinctive mechanical behavior, leading to the characterization of the dynamic properties as a function of temperature to ascertain the underpinnings of respective responses. Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures were also manufactured using the vat photopolymerization approach to demonstrate the utility of newly formulated printable composite resins. The printed structures were tested under compression at a quasi-static loading rate. The DIC-resolved strains revealed the underlying structural mechanics as a function of the material properties. This case study correlates the mechanics governing particulate-reinforced elastomers with the observed variations in strain development, stiffness, load-bearing capacity, and specific energy absorption for TPMS structures. Finite element analysis (FEA) based on hyperelastic potential and using the properties of the bulk resin closely matched the deformation patterns from the experimental DIC results. The outcomes of this research reveal the potential for tunable, 3D printed sports gear for impact mitigation in various biomechanical loading conditions.

Multimaterial additive manufacturing of poly-L-lactic acid– hydroxylapatite/graphene oxide scaffold fabricated via vat photopolymerization: experimental investigation, analysis and cell study

PurposeThis study aims to design and implement a multimaterial system for printing multifunctional specimens suitable for various sectors, with a particular focus on biomedical applications such as addressing mandibular bone loss.Design/methodology/approachTo enhance both the mechanical and biological properties of scaffolds, an automatic multimaterial setup using vat photopolymerization was developed. This setup features a linear system with two resin vats and one ultrasonic cleaning tank, facilitating the integration of diverse materials and structures to optimize scaffold composition. Such versatility allows for the simultaneous achievement of various characteristics in scaffold design.FindingsThe printed multimaterial scaffolds, featuring 20 Wt.% hydroxylapatite (HA) on the interior and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) with 1 Wt.% graphene oxide (GO) on the exterior, exhibited favorable mechanical and biological properties at the optimum postcuring and heat-treatment time. Using an edited triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice structure further enhanced these properties. Various multimaterial specimens were successfully printed and evaluated, showcasing the capability of the setup to ensure functionality, cleanliness and adequate interface bonding. Additionally, a novel Gyroid TPMS scaffold with a nominal porosity of 50% was developed and experimentally validated.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates the successful fabrication of multimaterial components with minimal contaminations and suitable mechanical and biological properties. By combining PLLA-HA and PLLA-GO, this innovative technique holds significant promise for enhancing the effectiveness of regenerative procedures, particularly in the realm of dentistry.

A virtual visualization method for improving the manufacturing accuracy based VPP 3D printers

Compared to traditional vat photopolymerization 3D printing methods, pixel blending technique provides greater freedom in terms of user-defined lighting sources. Based on this technology, scientists have conducted research on 3D printing manufacturing for elastic materials, biologically inert materials, and materials with high transparency, making significant contributions to the fields of portable healthcare and specialty material processing. However, there has been a lack of a universal and simple algorithm to facilitate low-cost printing experiments for researchers not in the 3D printing industry. Here, we propose a mathematical approach based on morphology to simulate the light dose distribution and virtual visualization of parts produced using grayscale mask vat photopolymerization 3D printing technology. Based on this simulation, we develop an auto-correction method inspired by circle packing to modify the grayscale values of projection images, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy of printed devices. This method can significantly improve printing accuracy with just a single parameter adjustment. We conducted experimental validation of this method on a vat photopolymerization printer using common commercial resins, demonstrating its feasibility for printing high precision structures. The parameters utilized in this method are comparatively simpler to acquire compared to conventional techniques for obtaining optical parameters. For researchers in non-vat photopolymerization 3D printing industry, it is relatively user-friendly.

Polymer Matrix Nanocomposites Fabricated with Copper Nanoparticles and Photopolymer Resin via Vat Photopolymerization Additive Manufacturing.

This investigation explores the fabrication of polymer matrix nanocomposites via additive manufacturing (AM), using a UV photopolymerization resin and copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) with vat photopolymerization 3D printing technology. The aim in this study is to investigate the mentioned materials in different formulations in terms of inexpensive processing, the property related variability, and targeting multifunctional applications. After the AM process, samples were post-cured with UV light in order to obtain better mechanical properties. The particles and resin were mixed using an ultrasonicator, and the particle contents used were 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 wt %. The process used in this investigation was simple and inexpensive, as the technologies used are quite accessible, from the 3D printer to the UV curing device. These formulations were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe the materials' microstructure and tensile tests to quantify stress-strain derived properties. Results showed that, besides the simplicity of the process, the mixing was effective, which was observed in the scanning electron microscope. Additionally, the tensile strength was increased with the UV irradiation exposure, while the strain properties did not change significantly.

Enhancing precision in ceramic vat photopolymerization 3D printing through dispersant optimization

Dispersant is critical in the ceramic vat photopolymerization (VP) due to its decisive impact on ceramic particle dispersion and suspension stability. However, the mechanisms by which dispersants influence photopolymerization of suspension remain underexplored. In this paper, the effects of the dispersants' refractive index and absorption coefficient on the light intensity distribution within suspension was investigated using a finite element method (FEM) simulation. The results indicate that the absorption coefficient is the primary influencing factor; as the absorption coefficient increases, the light transmittance of the suspension significantly decreases. Additionally, the photopolymerization performances of Al2O3 ceramic suspensions formulated with different dispersants were investigated. We found the mechanisms by which dispersants influence photopolymerization behavior: by affecting light absorption through absorption coefficient and by directly impacting the polymerization reaction through functional groups. The study successfully achieved VP 3D printing of high-precision ceramic architectures with micron-sized features via dispersant optimization. This paper provided a new insight into optimizing fabricating resolution in ceramics VP 3D printing.