Scientists develop reusable ‘waffle stacks’ to remove ‘forever chemicals’

By Ashmeeta Subra
August 14th, 2024

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The innovative solution from the University of Bath involves 3D-printed ceramic pieces infused with indium oxide, which are designed to bond with PFAS molecules and capture them when submerged in polluted water. In initial testing, these 3D-printed ceramic pieces – which look like frozen waffles or a clump of dried instant noodles, were able to remove 53 per cent of PFAS from polluted water within three hours.

After soaking and capturing water contaminants, the pieces can be treated through a high-temperature process to remove harmful chemicals, making them ready for reuse in another round of cleaning. Tests have surprisingly shown that these pieces become more effective with each use, with their efficiency increasing up to 75 per cent after treatment and reuse.

Additionally, unlike traditional methods that require energy for catalysis, this process is a more efficient way of removing such chemicals from water without using lots of energy.

“We are excited to further develop this technology and see it applied in real-world water treatment,” Dr. Liana Zoumpouli, research associate in Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering said in a statement.

Full article:
https://planetark.org/newsroom/news/scientists-develop-reusable-waffle-stacks-to-remove-forever-chemicals