Support-free additive manufacturing of ceramics

A method of forming a ceramic part, the method comprising:

• layering a substrate with a ceramic slurry from an applicator, the ceramic slurry having a viscosity ranging from about 3 Pas to about 500 Pas;
• scraping a first layer of the ceramic slurry across a portion of a first surface of the substrate;
• curing the first layer of the ceramic slurry to form a first cured ceramic layer;
• moving the substrate in a z-direction from a first position to a second position;
• scraping a second layer of the ceramic slurry across a first surface of the first cured ceramic layer, wherein a surface area of a first surface of the second layer of the ceramic slurry is larger than a surface area of a first surface of the first cured ceramic layer;
• and
• curing the second layer of the ceramic slurry to form a second cured ceramic layer,
• wherein at least one of the first layer of ceramic slurry and the second layer of ceramic slurry comprises a ceramic powder and a photocurable resin and scraping at least one of the first layer of ceramic slurry and the second layer of ceramic slurry comprises biasing an applicator having a beveled edge against the layer and moving the applicator in a planar direction.