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From Local Resource to Advanced Material: Philippine Talakag Clay as an Emerging Additive for Ceramic Manufacturing
* 1 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
1  Advanced Porous Ceramic Particles (APCerP) Laboratory, Research Center for Advanced Ceramics (RCAC), Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City 9200, Philippines
2  Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of the Philippines – Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
3  Institut de Recherche sur les Céramiques (IRCER), UMR 7315 CNRS, Centre Européen de la Céramique, University of Limoges, Limoges 87000, France
4  Department of Materials and Resources Engineering and Technology, College of Engineering, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City 9200, Philippines
Academic Editor: Andrey Kalinichev

Abstract:

Extrusion-based 3D printing is an emerging additive manufacturing (AM) technique that enables the layer-by-layer fabrication of complex ceramic structures from flow-optimized pastes. This study explores the potential of locally sourced Talakag clay obtained from Tikalaan, Talakag, Bukidnon, Philippines, as a sustainable material for ceramic additive manufacturing. The clay was blended with zeolite, silica, and feldspar to enhance printability and structural performance. The raw materials were physically processed through crushing, pulverizing, and sieving, followed by paste formulation containing 71% solids and 29% liquid. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was incorporated as a binder to improve viscosity control, homogeneity, and extrusion behavior. Printing trials using the DeltaWASP 2040 Clay printer revealed that the optimized paste extruded smoothly at 3–3.5 bar, producing continuous, dimensionally accurate, and structurally stable layers. Post-printing evaluations confirmed good surface smoothness, geometrical precision, and mechanical integrity. The presence of micro/nanomineral components in Talakag clay contributed to the enhanced rheological and cohesive properties of the paste, supporting its feasibility for 3D ceramic fabrication. This study demonstrates that locally available mineral resources can serve as cost-effective and eco-friendly raw materials for advanced ceramic technologies. Overall, Talakag clay and its composites exhibit strong potential for sustainable extrusion-based additive manufacturing, paving the way for future innovations in functional ceramic materials and green manufacturing within the context of micro/nanomineral-based materials science.

Keywords: Talakag clay; zeolite; 3D printing; ceramic robocasting; additive manufacturing; carboxymethyl cellulose; local materials; ceramic paste
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