Desenvolvimento de um filtro de água com estrutura giróide à base de zeólitas produzido por manufatura aditiva

Abstract

This study addresses water treatment in light of current environmental challenges, focusing on the removal of ammonia, a contaminant of growing interest. Zeolite, a widely studied microporous material, stands out for its adsorbent properties and its applicability in purification processes. Porous printed filters are attracting scientific and technological attention due to the possibility of controlled flow paths and customizable geometry. Additive manufacturing, especially through ceramic extrusion, enables the production of these filters with high common complexity, strengthening innovative solutions for the sector. This work aims to design and develop a water filter with a gyroid structure, printed with a zeolite-based ceramic compound, aimed at removing ammonia from water. Physical and chemical characterizations, such as X-ray diffraction (performed on the zeolite and samples sintered at different temperatures), pycnometry, particle size distribution, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy, allowed us to understand the properties of the material used. This study contributes to the literature by exploring an innovative approach to water purification, integrating additive manufacturing and porous materials, highlighting the comparison between granular and printed filters regarding ammonia retention. Thus, having presented an average efficiency of 7.00% compared to 57.76% for granular systems, printed filters sintered at 700°C achieved a maximum efficiency of 33.38%. Although printed ceramic filters represent a promising and evolving approach for purification systems, with the potential to control preferential flows and improve filtration efficiency.