Toward greener membranes with 3D printing technology

Abstract

3D printing has recently influenced membrane science. As a green alternative to current membrane fabrication methods, 3D printing prevents the mixing of highly toxic chemicals into water through its sustainable production. Furthermore, the risk of exposure to these toxic materials and of mechanical accidents during the fabrication is also attenuated. This type of in-situ fabrication eliminates logistic-based problems caused by transportation and packaging. Eliminating packaging and reducing transportation and precision-based waste also reduces CO2 emissions. The advantages of 3D-printed membranes are correlated with each other and promote a greener environment. In this article, we collect their contributions under the sub-titles of sustainability, risk reduction, cost-effectiveness, precision and mobility.