Ultra Sonic Spray Coating of Silica Nanocomposites for Smoothening 3D-Printed Fused Silica Glass and Metal Casted Injection Molding Tools

In this work we demonstrate for the first time that optically smooth transparent glass geometries can be achieved by spray coating adapted silica nanocomposites onto the printed parts prior to the thermal heat treatment. This process enables the manufacture of complex, optically transparent fused silica glass geometries with a surface roughness below 16 nm (Sq), and using commercially available printers. Furthermore, we demonstrated that once produced and refined, these fused silica glass components can be effectively adapted for metal casting and manufacturing of multi-sided injection molding tools. This significantly enhances the prototyping of optical glass components as well as tool-based manufacturing processes.