Ecofriendly 3D Printed TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Polymer Scaffolds for Dye Removal

Numerous catalysts for water pollutant mitigation have been developed over recent decades. However, the utilization of catalysts embedded in 3D structures remains challenging. This study aims at fabricating 3D-printed TiO 2 /SiO 2 /polymer scaffolds for the degradation of organic dyes, specifically Methylene Blue (MB) and rhodamine B (Rh B). The TiO 2 /SiO 2 /polymer scaffolds were fabricated by stereolithography (SLA) technique, using TiO 2 photocatalyst synthesized via a solution combustion process, silica adsorbent prepared from sugarcane leaves, and photocurable resin as feedstock. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that TiO 2 exhibited anatase/rutile/brookite triphasic structure while SiO 2 possessed amorphous structure. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that TiO 2 and SiO 2 particles uniformly deposited on the surface of the photocurable resin. The adsorption activity of the TiO 2 /SiO 2 /polymer scaffolds was examined in the dark for 24 h to ensure that adsorption equilibrium was achieved. Photocatalytic examinations were conducted under UV light (λ = 365 nm). The TiO 2 /SiO 2 /polymer scaffolds efficiently demonstrated their potential dye removal efficiency against MB and Rh B dyes as 81.9% and 60%, respectively. Reusability testing revealed that after hydrogen peroxide treatment, the used scaffolds exhibited the degradation ability in a comparable range to the as-fabricated scaffolds. An application of a 3D printing technique for water pollution reduction was successfully demonstrated in this study.