25/08/2020
What is 3D Printing?
Mechanical properties and geometries of printed products have been extensively studied in metal 3D printing. However, chemical properties and catalytic functions, introduced by metal 3D printing itself, are rarely mentioned. Metal 3D printing products themselves can simultaneously serve as chemical reactors and catalysts (denoted as self-catalytic reactor or SCR) for direct conversion of C1 molecules (including CO, CO2 and CH4) into high value-added chemicals. The Fe-SCR and Co-SCR successfully catalyze synthesis of liquid fuel from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and CO2 hydrogenation; the Ni-SCR efficiently produces syngas (CO/H2) by CO2 reforming of CH4. Further, the Co-SCR geometrical studies indicate that metal 3D printing itself can establish multiple control functions to tune the catalytic product distribution. The present work provides a simple and low-cost manufacturing method to realize functional integration of catalyst and reactor, and will facilitate the developments of chemical synthesis and 3D printing technology.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been widely studied in biotechnology, prosthetics, architecture, pharmaceutical synthesis, etc. The 3D printing techniques, such as direct ink writing (DIW), fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS), were employed and developed to print the functional catalysts or reactors. However, the manufacturing principles of the catalysts and reactors were independent of each other. The synergies between them were also overlooked. In addition, the catalysts and reactors were printed separately. It could result in complicated printing process and low printing speed. In view of these problems, it is necessary to explore simple and fast manufacturing strategies. Metal 3D printing reactor, simultaneously coupled with catalytic function, is a feasible approach to overcome these obstacles. Moreover, it can be applied to harsh reaction conditions, such as high temperature and/or high pressure, as in huge catalytic facilities of petrochemical.
Post Credit:
1. Post information and Detail : Virajsinh Atodaria
2. Post editing : Krutagna Desai
