Deployable and Retrievable 3D-Printed Zeolite–Polymer Composites for Wastewater Treatment: A Review

Abstract

The development of shape-optimized adsorbent materials has garnered significant scientific interest in light of escalating environmental challenges and limitations of conventional materials. Addressing the issues of single-use materials is crucial to advancing adsorbent technologies. Recently, 3D-printed zeolite-polymer composites have emerged as versatile and promising adsorbent materials, offering deployability, retrievability, thermal stability, and cyclic regeneration capabilities. The synergistic combination of zeolite-composite formulations and 3D printing technology represents a promising approach for fabricating the perfect adsorbent for water treatment. This comprehensive review critically examines recent advancements in the realm of 3D printing technology to shape zeolite–polymer composites, specifically for water treatment applications. The facile fabrication of 3D-printed zeolite structures, accomplished by shaping zeolite within an ink solution and employing a printing process, enables the production of materials featuring macroporous, mesoporous, and microporous systems. These advancements hold significant promise for the design and implementation of highly efficient adsorbent materials for water treatment processes.