Three-Dimensional Printing of Cellulose/Covalent Organic Frameworks (CelloCOFs) for CO 2 Adsorption and Water Treatment

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces 2023-12, Vol.15 (51), p.59795-59805
• Main Authors: Abdelhamid, Hani Nasser, Sultan, Sahar, Mathew, Aji P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D printing; CO2 adsorption; covalent organic frameworks; water treatment
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c13966

The development of porous organic polymers, specifically covalent organic frameworks (COFs), has facilitated the advancement of numerous applications. Nevertheless, the limited availability of COFs solely in powder form imposes constraints on their potential applications. Furthermore, it is worth noting that COFs tend to undergo aggregation, leading to a decrease in the number of active sites available within the material. This work presents a comprehensive methodology for the transformation of a COF into three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds using the technique of 3D printing. As part of the 3D printing process, a composite material called CelloCOF was created by combining cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), sodium alginate, and COF materials (i.e., COF-1 and COF-2). The intervention successfully mitigated the agglomeration of the COF nanoparticles, resulting in the creation of abundant active sites that can be effectively utilized for adsorption purposes. The method of 3D printing can be described as a simple and basic procedure that can be adapted to accommodate hierarchical porous materials with distinct micro- and macropore regimes. This technology demonstrates versatility in its use across a range of COF materials. The adsorption capacities of 3D CelloCOF materials were evaluated for three different adsorbates: carbon dioxide (CO ), heavy metal ions, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The results showed that the materials exhibited adsorption capabilities of 19.9, 7.4-34, and 118.5-410.8 mg/g for CO , PFOS, and heavy metals, respectively. The adsorption properties of the material were found to be outstanding, exhibiting a high degree of recyclability and exceptional selectivity. Based on our research findings, it is conceivable that the utilization of custom-designed composites based on COFs could present new opportunities in the realm of water and air purification.