Porous ceramics for additive manufacturing, filtration, and membrane applications
In accordance with one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts, a porous ceramic structure includes a three-dimensional printed structure having predefined features, where the three-dimensional structure has a geometric shape. The average length of the features may be at least 10 microns. The three-dimensional structure includes a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, where the pores form continuous channels through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material.
1. A product, comprising:
a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, wherein the pores connect through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material; and
an aqueous sorbent solution for absorbing carbon dioxide, the aqueous sorbent solution being positioned in the pores of the ceramic material, wherein a portion of the aqueous sorbent solution is retained in the pores by capillary action.
2. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material comprises Y 2 O 3 -doped ZrO 2 .
3. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the pores is in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
4. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the pores is in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.
5. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein a density of the ceramic material is in a range of about 20% to about 50% of a density of a solid nonporous ceramic form having the same composition as the ceramic material.
6. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material is in a form of a structure comprising a plurality of crushed ceramic pieces, wherein an average diameter of the crushed ceramic pieces is less than 400 microns.
7. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the aqueous sorbent solution is an ionic solution.
8. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material is nanoporous having nanostructural support for the aqueous sorbent solution.
9. A method of forming the ceramic material as recited in claim 1 , the method comprising:
obtaining an ink, wherein the ink comprises a mixture of metal oxide nanoparticles and a polymer;
forming a body from the ink, wherein forming the body comprises an additive manufacturing process with the ink;
curing the formed body; and
heating the formed body for removing the polymer and for forming the ceramic material from the metal oxide nanoparticles.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the additive manufacturing process is direct ink writing, wherein the ink is extruded through a nozzle.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein features of the formed body have an average diameter of at least a diameter of the nozzle.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ink includes a photoinitiator and an inhibitor, wherein the additive manufacturing is projection micro-stereolithography.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein features of the formed body have an average length of at least about ten microns.
14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the formed body is a free standing porous structure, wherein the formed body has an average diameter of greater than one centimeter.
15. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the ink comprises metal oxide nanoparticles and a polymer resin, wherein a concentration of the metal oxide nanoparticles is at least about 50 wt % of a total mass of the ink.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the ink comprises a cross-linking agent.
17. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the ink includes metal oxide nanoparticles in a range of about 50 wt % to about 80 wt % of the total mass of the ink.
18. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein a concentration of the metal oxide nanoparticles is about 60 wt % of the total mass of the ink.
19. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein a concentration of the metal oxide nanoparticles is about 70 wt % of the total mass of the ink.
20. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles comprise Y 2 O 3 -doped ZrO 2 .
21. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein the metal oxide nanoparticles comprising Y 2 O 3 -doped ZrO 2 have an average diameter in a range of at least about 20 nanometers to about 600 nanometers.
22. A product comprising:
a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, wherein the pores connect through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material; and
an aqueous sorbent solution in the pores of the ceramic material, wherein a portion of the aqueous sorbent solution is retained in the pores by capillary action,
wherein the aqueous sorbent solution is sodium carbonate having a concentration of about 20 wt % solution at room temperature.
23. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein the ceramic material comprises Y 2 O 3 -doped ZrO 2 .
24. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein an average diameter of the pores is in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
25. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein an average diameter of the pores is in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.
26. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein a density of the ceramic material is in a range of about 20% to about 50% of a density of a solid nonporous ceramic form having the same composition as the ceramic material.
27. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein the ceramic material is in a form of a structure comprising a plurality of crushed ceramic pieces, wherein an average diameter of the crushed ceramic pieces is less than 400 microns.
28. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein the aqueous sorbent solution is an ionic solution.
29. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein the ceramic material is nanoporous having nanostructural support for the aqueous sorbent solution.
30. A porous ceramic structure comprising:
a three-dimensional printed structure having predefined features,
wherein the three-dimensional printed structure has a geometric shape,
wherein an average length of the features is at least 10 microns,
wherein the predefined features comprise a ceramic material having a plurality of pores,
wherein an aqueous sorbent solution for absorbing carbon dioxide is positioned in the pores of the ceramic material, wherein a portion of the aqueous sorbent solution is retained in the pores by capillary action.
31. A filtration medium comprising the porous ceramic structure as recited in claim 30 .
32. The porous ceramic structure as recited in claim 30 , wherein the porous ceramic material comprises Y 2 O 3 -doped ZrO 2 .
33. The porous ceramic structure as recited in claim 30 , wherein an average diameter of the pores is in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
34. The porous ceramic structure as recited in claim 30 , wherein the ceramic structure has an open cell structure.
35. The porous ceramic structure as recited in claim 30 , wherein the pores form continuous channels through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material.