Ceramics are not just used for making cups and tiles; thanks to their durability, resistance to extreme conditions, and chemical inertness, they are also essential for high-tech applications. Specialised ceramics can clean polluted air and water, withstand high temperatures in engines, and form safe, long-lasting parts for medical use. However, creating complex ceramic shapes has traditionally been expensive, difficult, and often even impossible.
In her research, Setareh Zakeri created an integrated approach around ceramic vat photopolymerization (VPP), a manufacturing technique that uses light to “cure” a liquid resin containing ceramic powder and binder, layer by layer, into intricate and detailed shapes.
“Ceramic VPP may look simple from the outside, but it’s a journey with many steps all tied together, shaping the final product’s quality and performance. Once you overcome those challenges, you can truly enjoy the beauty of what VPP can create,” she says.
Zakeri examined the key steps of the process, from the material recipe to the final cleaning steps, ensuring all stages work together effectively. One of the key breakthroughs was developing a new material blend capable of printing with exceptional accuracy, enabling finer details and more delicate geometries than before. This advancement, combined with an optimized printing protocol and innovative cleaning techniques, makes it possible to produce complex ceramic structures that are ready for real-world, functional applications.
The methodologies developed by Zakeri can help industries move toward producing better-performing products faster and with less waste. This paves the way for a brighter future with cleaner air and drinking water, more sustainable energy production and improved healthcare solutions.
Public defence on Friday 5 September
The doctoral dissertation of MSc Setareh Zakeri in the field of Materials Science and Engineering, titled Towards an Improved Ceramic Vat Photopolymerization Process Chain for Novel Complex Porous Structures: From Resin Formulation to Post-Processing, will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Tampere University at 12:00 on Friday 5 September 2025, at Hervanta campus, Konetalo building, auditorium K1702 (Korkeakoulunkatu 6, Tampere).
The Opponent will be Professor Tapio Fabritius from the University of Oulu. The Custos will be Professor Erkki Levänen from the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Tampere University.
The doctoral dissertation is available online.
The public defence can also be followed via remote connection.