Research into Printing Ceramics Could Improve Energy Solutions
B. Reeja Jayan, an assistant professor in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded a 2018 National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to study the potential of 3D printed ceramics. The award, including $500,000 in research funding, is given to a faculty member in the early stages of their career with a proven potential to be a leader in their field and to integrate their research into novel educational opportunities.
The focus of Jayan's most recent work is researching how electromagnetic waves may be used to alter the structure within ceramic materials, potentially enabling the 3D printing of ceramics. Traditional ceramic manufacturing uses large amounts of energy, often requiring materials to be heated at extremely high temperatures. Jayan said she hopes to instead use electromagnetic waves, such as those microwaves use to heat food, to induce changes within ceramics at the structural level. If successful, she could potentially be able to achieve the same quality of results as current manufacturing methods — at a fraction of the energy cost.