Prospects and comparative analysis of DLP and SLS 3D printing technologies for ceramic supports fabrication

This review evaluates the prospects of digital light processing (DLP) and selective laser sintering (SLS) for fabricating ceramic supports for membrane systems. DLP and SLS were selected because they represent two conceptually different additive routes for ceramic support fabrication: a mature slurry-based photopolymerization process and a less developed but promising powder-bed approach for support-free porous architectures. The study compares conventional and additive routes and summarizes feedstock requirements, processing stages, structural capabilities, and key limitations of both technologies. The analysis shows that DLP is currently more mature for producing high-precision, smooth, patterned, and hydrodynamically optimized ceramic supports, whereas SLS is promising for support fabrication of larger, open, and complex porous structures. It has been shown that additive manufacturing enables better control of geometry, pore architecture, and surface design, which can improve permeability and fouling resistance. However, industrial implementation is still limited by slurry and powder requirements, shrinkage, cracking, porosity control, post-processing complexity, scale-up, and cost. DLP and SLS should therefore be regarded as complementary technologies that expand, rather than replace, conventional ceramic support fabrication methods.