{
  "abstract": "Additive manufacturing (AM) enables complex micro-architected geometries in metals 1–3 , polymers 4 and oxide ceramics 4–6 , yet its extension to non-oxide ceramics remains constrained by optical opacity and high-temperature densification. Carbide ceramics are challenging for particle-based vat photopolymerization (VPP), where strong absorption limits curing, while pressure-assisted densification, often required for high density, is incompatible with delicate architectures. A general route to fabricate dense micro-architected carbide ceramics without conventional sintering remains unavailable. Here we demonstrate molten salt-assisted additive manufacturing of carbide ceramics (MOSAIC), an AM framework that decouples geometric shaping from carbide formation. Thermoset polymer architectures fabricated by VPP are pyrolysed into architected glassy-carbon templates and converted into carbide ceramics through molten-salt-mediated reaction with transition metals. MOSAIC produces micro-architected TiC, VC, Cr 3 C 2 and TaC with relative densities above 95% and features down to ~20 µm, and extends to WC, ZrC and Mo 2 C. Conversion depth can be controlled from ~1 µm to tens of micrometres, yielding solid carbide struts or hollow architectures after carbon removal. Controlled oxidation converts these structures into TiO 2 , Cr 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5 and Ta 2 O 5 while preserving topology. By separating architecture definition from ceramic formation, MOSAIC enables photopolymerization-based manufacturing of transition-metal carbides and derivative oxides across micrometre-scale features and millimetre- to centimetre-scale architectures.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of energy conversion and storage, Technical University of Denmark (DTU, Agnes Nielsens Vej, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark, 2800"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chiranjit Roy"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Apurv Dash",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4869-3104"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fwxekckgfs0bb.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009147/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "fwxekckgfs0bb",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009147/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2203|Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213952012",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009147/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-21",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fwxekckgfs0bb.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009147",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009147/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "source:chemrxiv",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Additive manufacturing of micro-architected carbide ceramics via molten salt conversion",
  "title_text": "Additive manufacturing of micro-architected carbide ceramics via molten salt conversion",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fwxekckgfs0bb",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}