Emerging 3D-printed zeolitic gas adsorbents

Abstract

The development of zeolitic adsorbents is an essential subject of interest in the realm of green chemistry, especially in the aspect of gas adsorption. The intrinsic molecular sieving capacity of zeolites allows them to be widely adopted as effective gas adsorbents. As a layer-by-layer deposition technology, three-dimensional (3D) printing can achieve more complex zeolitic gas adsorbent structures than conventional manufacturing methods by offering flexible freeform construction and controllable 3D structural design. This review article focuses on the recent development of 3D-printed zeolitic gas adsorbents, which integrate advanced zeolitic structures and emerging additive manufacturing technologies for gas absorption. A description of zeolites and their conventional fabrication methods is given for a basic understanding of zeolitic gas adsorbents. 3D printing technologies are also introduced and discussed for the fabrication of zeolitic adsorbents such as monoliths. Next, the recent progress in the fabrication of zeolitic gas adsorbents using 3D printing is illustrated and summarized, which boosts the application of 3D-printed zeolite absorbents in different fields of gas adsorption. Conclusions are given with an outlook on opportunities ahead for future research. It is expected that the development of advanced zeolitic materials and structures for gas adsorption purposes will be significantly accelerated through 3D printing technologies.