Mitigating anisotropy of vat photopolymerization 3D printing Al2O3-based ceramic cores through zircon addition

• Addition of 15 vol.% zircon to Al2O3-based ceramic cores increases flexural strength by 315.8% at 25°C and 136.0% at 1,500°C, achieving 61.54 MPa and 11.59 MPa respectively. • Zircon addition reduces Z-axis shrinkage by 21%, significantly mitigating the anisotropy inherent in vat photopolymerization 3D printed ceramic cores. • The formation of ZrO2 and mullite phases through zircon addition enhances the comprehensive properties, addressing the trade-off between strength and porosity. • The successful 3D printing of high-performance Al2O3-based ceramic cores with zircon addition promotes industrial application for complex-structured cores in superalloy hollow blade fabrication.