Fabrication of zirconia TPMS lattices via powder-based nanoparticle jetting: Dimensional fidelity and mechanical performance evaluation

Zirconia ceramics which possess triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures have displayed strong potentiality for engineering and biomedical applications, but large-scale fabrication is still a challenge due to the precise, time-consuming, and costly manufacturing processes. In this study, Nanoparticle Jetting (NPJ), which is a powder-based additive manufacturing technique featuring great scalability, has been utilized to prepare Gyroid-type TPMS lattices using 3Y-TZP zirconia, so as to achieve uniform stress distribution without compromising mechanical strength. The influences of cavity ratio and lattice dimension on printability, sintering behavior, and mechanical performance have been systemically studied. The results indicate that the cavity ratio has a very small effect on linear shrinkage (17.34–17.59%), while the lattice dimension has an obvious influence on in-plane (X/Y) shrinkage during sintering. It is also found from phase analysis that the transformation from m-ZrO₂ to t-ZrO₂ during the sintering process contributes to the improvement of mechanical performance. Furthermore, X-ray CT imaging system reveals that progressive failure initiates at stress-concentrated edges, followed by crack propagation along the TPMS surfaces, which demonstrates the intrinsic damage tolerance of these structures. Thus, this study highlights that NPJ is a feasible technique for the scalable fabrication of high-precision TPMS zirconia lattices.