A New era of water treatment technologies: 3D printing for membranes

A New era of water treatment technologies: 3D printing for membranes

The commercialization of sustainable 3D printing technology changed the face of manufacturing with itsprecise and uniform sustainable fabrication. Therefore, like otherfields of science, research related towater treatment membranes has adopted this technology successfully, preventing the waste of hugeamounts of solvents and thus reducing the high carbon emissions caused by fabrication. Currently,critical research is being conducted in relation to the membrane modules and the fabrication of themembranes themselves. The module studies focus primarily on spacer production and the membranestudies are mostly concerned with the membrane surface. The membrane surface research hassuccessfully adapted inkjet printing for enhanced surface properties for high selectivity and foulingresistance through the printing of nano-materials on the membranes’ surfaces. Recently, 3D printing ofthe polymer membrane support or 3D printing-based interfacial polymerization has also beenintroduced into water treatment technologies. Since fouling resistance, selectivity and waterpermeability are the critical factors, many of the parameters can be controlled by the assistance ofbespoke and precise 3D printing fabrication. In this study, we examine key aspects of technology whichmay shed light on future studies regarding 3D printed water treatment membranes and we review thecritical developments to date.

The commercialization of sustainable 3D printing technology changed the face of manufacturing with itsprecise and uniform sustainable fabrication. Therefore, like otherfields of science, research related towater treatment membranes has adopted this technology successfully, preventing the waste of hugeamounts of solvents and thus reducing the high carbon emissions caused by fabrication. Currently,critical research is being conducted in relation to the membrane modules and the fabrication of themembranes themselves. The module studies focus primarily on spacer production and the membranestudies are mostly concerned with the membrane surface. The membrane surface research hassuccessfully adapted inkjet printing for enhanced surface properties for high selectivity and foulingresistance through the printing of nano-materials on the membranes’ surfaces. Recently, 3D printing ofthe polymer membrane support or 3D printing-based interfacial polymerization has also beenintroduced into water treatment technologies. Since fouling resistance, selectivity and waterpermeability are the critical factors, many of the parameters can be controlled by the assistance ofbespoke and precise 3D printing fabrication. In this study, we examine key aspects of technology whichmay shed light on future studies regarding 3D printed water treatment membranes and we review thecritical developments to date.