Photocatalytic Luminous Monoliths

Background

As the range of materials that are compatible with additive manufacturing dimensional (3D) printing has expanded, the technology has gained increasing relevance in the applicability and adoption in fields such as catalysis and adsorption. Traditional monolithic contactors have the advantages of good mass transfer and lower pressure drops. However, similar to packed bed and annular (wall-coated) reactors, monoliths suffer with lowlight utilization efficiencies. In context of sustainable catalytic systems for air pollution removal, there is a growing need for materials that can absorb gaseous pollutants while maintaining the light driven catalytic activity internally.

Invention Description

Researchers at Arizona State have developed a photocatalytic material that is able to extend the catalytic process even after exposure to an external light source is removed. This photocatalytic material enables greater light penetration to the structures, enabling more of the chemical surface to be activated. The added materials are luminous in nature, and therefore enable extended operation. The direct ink-written nature of the material enables the absorption of gaseous pollutants, and converts pollutants to other gases, including the possibility of useful gases with lower energy consumption. This enables the material to be constructed into different 3D printed structures and forms.

Potential Applications:

• Environmental Remediation & Wastewater treatment
• Catalysis and Chemical Processing
• Energy Generation & Storage

Benefits and Advantages:

• Lowered Energy consumption- luminous effect can lower the energy demand using photocatalytic material
• Direct Ink writing- enables photocatalytic luminous structure of any configuration
• Sustainable- applications of gas separation for energy generation and storage

Related Publication: Direct Ink Written ZnS:Cu Photocatalytic Luminous Monoliths