Recent Progress and Perspectives of Direct Ink Writing Applications for Mass Transfer Enhancement in Gas-Phase Adsorption and Catalysis

Abstract

Conventional adsorbents and catalysts shaped by granulation or extrusion have high pressure drop and poor flexibility for chemical, energy, and environmental processes. Direct ink writing (DIW), a kind of 3D printing, has evolved into a crucial technique for manufacturing scalable configurations of adsorbents and catalysts with satisfactory programmable automation, highly optional materials, and reliable construction. Particularly, DIW can generate specific morphologies required for excellent mass transfer kinetics, which is essential in gas-phase adsorption and catalysis. Here, DIW methodologies for mass transfer enhancement in gas-phase adsorption and catalysis, covering the raw materials, fabrication process, auxiliary optimization methods, and practical applications are comprehensively summarized. The prospects and challenges of DIW methodology in realizing good mass transfer kinetics are discussed. Ideal components with a gradient porosity, multi-material structure, and hierarchical morphology are proposed for future investigations.

Keywords: direct ink writing; gas-phase adsorption; gas-phase catalysis; mass transfer kinetics; rheological properties.