Researchers Develop a New Process of 3D Printing Graphene Aerogels
Written by AZoNanoApr 15 2021
Graphene excels at removing contaminants from water, but it s not yet a commercially viable use of the wonder material.
That could be changing.
In a recent study, University at Buffalo engineers report a new process of 3D printing graphene aerogels that they say overcomes two key hurdles scalability and creating a version of the material that s stable enough for repeated use for water treatment. The goal is to safely remove contaminants from water without releasing any problematic chemical residue, says study co-author Nirupam Aich, PhD, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
16th April 2021 7:00 am 16th April 2021 7:42 am
Engineers have developed a new process of 3D printing graphene aerogels that is scalable and stable enough for repeated use in water treatment.
Graphene aerogel on a single tissue (Image: University at Buffalo)
The researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York have used a proof-of-concept direct ink writing 3D printing technique and subsequent freeze-drying to prepare graphene-biopolymer aerogels for water treatment.
“The goal is to safely remove contaminants from water without releasing any problematic chemical residue,” said study co-author Nirupam Aich, PhD, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “The aerogels we’ve created hold their structure when put in water treatment systems, and they can be applied in diverse water treatment applications.”
This aerogel, used for filtering water, sits on a tissue. Credit: University at Buffalo
Study shows how to make stable and large aerogels that remove heavy metals, organic solvents, organic dyes
Graphene excels at removing contaminants from water, but it’s not yet a commercially viable use of the wonder material.
That could be changing.
In a recent study, University at Buffalo engineers report a new process of 3D printing graphene aerogels that they say overcomes two key hurdles scalability and creating a version of the material that’s stable enough for repeated use for water treatment.
“The goal is to safely remove contaminants from water without releasing any problematic chemical residue,” says study co-author Nirupam Aich, PhD, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “The aerogels we’ve created hold their structure when put in water treatment systems, and they can be applied in diverse water treat
How 3D printed Graphene Aerogels can be used for Water Treatment
This illustration depicts, at the left, a 3D printer printing the hexagonal-shaped graphene aerogel sheet. At the right, the aerogel (now black) filters dirty water. Credit: Environmental Science: Nano
Access to clean drinking water is a major problem for as much as a third of the world s population. Now, a new combination of graphene, aerogels and 3D printing could provide a solution.
With an increasing global population, the need for clean, accessible drinking water is growing. Graphene has long been suggested as a material that is ideal for the filtration of water and the removal of contaminants.
Scientists Ask: Can Nanotech And Microbes Partner To Destroy PFAS?
Diana Aga, Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry at the University at Buffalo. Aga is the project s principal investigator.
Researchers will use analytical and computational techniques to understand, in detail, how PFAS degrade at each step of the proposed treatment process
Imagine this: In a wastewater treatment plant, engineered molecular-scale scissors chop up PFAS, toxic compounds that are so tough to break down that they’re called “forever chemicals.” Then, microbes digest the molecular scraps, clearing them from the water.
In a new project, researchers from the University at Buffalo and University of Pittsburgh are teaming up to design the approaches and tools that would make such a system possible. The group will seek to develop advanced catalytic carbon-metal nanomaterials that react with and snip PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and to identify and isolate bacteria capable of consuming