3D-printed hybrid zeolitic/carbonaceous electrically conductive adsorbent structures

ZIF-8 derived carbon@3D-printed columns as efficient continuous-flow adsorbents of parabens from water

In this study, we report a novel and cost-effective solution for removing parabens from water by combining MOF-derived porous carbons and 3D printing. In addition to being easy to prepare, the resulting 3D-printed device, with a cube-array structure, can also be fabricated in a robust column format for flow-through extraction of pollutants. Using an in-situ growth method, ZIF-8 MOF was directly deposited onto a 3D-printed device, achieving a stable and durable integration of the MOF onto the device. After the carbonization process, fully functional devices were obtained, entirely coated with a zinc-free carbon layer derived from ZIF-8, exhibiting both micro- and mesoporosity. c-ZIF-8@3D-printed cubes exhibited fast adsorption kinetics in batch conditions, achieving over 90 % extraction of ethylparaben within just 1 h, thanks to the mesoporosity of the obtained ZIF-8 derived carbon, as well as the possibility of establishing π-π interactions between it and the pollutant. Continuous-flow experiments demonstrated that c-ZIF-8@3D-printed columns showed high extraction efficiency for four parabens, maintaining removal rates between 83-92 % after 10 cycles. The columns also showed easy regeneration, enabling multiple uses of the 3D support and enhancing both the sustainability and efficiency of the water treatment process. Finally, the c-ZIF-8@3D-printed column was also tested for the simultaneous extraction of parabens from different real water samples with excellent results, confirming its potential for practical applications in water treatment.

3D-printed solid phase microextraction fiber based on Co-Al layered double hydroxide nanosheets; application in determination of phenolic acids in fruit juice samples

3D printing technology has attracted great attention in various fields of science and technology. Application of this technology in manufacturing analytical tools is developing fast. High precision in manufacturing designed objects, fast production and low cost also green production approach by using biodegradable materials like polylactic acid is promising bright future in scientific researches. The development of new approaches in improving the functional groups of the surface of 3D printed objects in order to make 3D printed parts more functional with conventional 3D printed materials, causes the entry of many advanced materials in this field. In this study, a novel solid phase microextraction fiber was prepared based on Co-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets in-situ growth on 3D-printed aluminum-polylactic acid (PLA) composite and its application for determination of phenolic acids (PAs) including vanillic acid (VA), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), protocatechuic acid (PCA) and caffeic acid (CA) in fruit juice samples was investigated. The proposed fiber was prepared via a robust one-step hydrothermal synthesis of Co-Al LDH on an anodized 3D-printed Al-PLA fiber. Factors crucial for the extraction, including pH, extraction and desorption time and ionic strength were explored in detail. Under the optimal experimental conditions, for all PAs except PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.03, 0.1 and 0.1-100.0 µgL-1, respectively. For PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.15, 0.50 and 0.5-100.0 µgL-1, respectively.

Carbon dioxide separation and capture by adsorption: a review

Rising adverse impact of climate change caused by anthropogenic activities is calling for advanced methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Here, we review adsorption technologies for carbon dioxide capture with focus on materials, techniques, and processes, additive manufacturing, direct air capture, machine learning, life cycle assessment, commercialization and scale-up.

Recent Advances in Carbon-Based Adsorbents for Adsorptive Separation of Light Hydrocarbons

Light hydrocarbons (LHs) separation is an important process in petrochemical industry. The current separation technology predominantly relies on cryogenic distillation, which results in considerable energy consumption. Adsorptive separation using porous solids has received widespread attention due to its lower energy footprint and higher efficiency. Thus, tremendous efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of high-performance porous solids. Among them, porous carbons display exceptional stability, tunable pore structure, and surface chemistry and thus represent a class of novel adsorbents upon achieving the matched pore structures for LHs separations. In this review, the modulation strategies toward advanced carbon-based adsorbents for LHs separation are firstly reviewed. Then, the relationships between separation performances and key structural parameters of carbon adsorbents are discussed by exemplifying specific separation cases. The research findings on the control of the pore structures as well as the quantification of the adsorption sites are highlighted. Finally, the challenges of carbonaceous adsorbents facing for LHs separation are given, which would motivate us to rationally design more efficient absorbents and separation processes in future.