Fauzi Ikhsan, Sephia Amanda Muhtar, Rizky Aflaha, Damar Rastri Adhika, Abdul Muhyi, Kuwat Triyana, Khairurrijal Khairurrijal, Tarmizi Taher, Aditya Rianjanu, Muhamad F. Arif
Natural zeolite faces challenges in wastewater treatment due to poor mechanical stability, handling difficulties, and limited reusability. To address these limitations, structured zeolite is fabricated using 3D printing, with glycerol as a porogenic agent to enhance porosity and adsorption capacity. Scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms successful fabrication and improves pore formation, while thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis demonstrates stable thermal properties. The pHpzc values are 7.43 (3D-Ze/Gy50) and 7.52 (3D-Ze/Gy0), indicating minor surface charge changes after glycerol incorporation. Adsorption follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model (chemisorption) and aligned with the Langmuir isotherm, confirming monolayer adsorption on a homogeneous surface. Thermodynamic analysis reveals that the adsorption process is endothermic and nonspontaneous at lower temperatures but becomes favorable at higher temperatures. The 3D-Ze/Gy50 sample exhibits superior adsorption capacities of 1.35 mg g−1 at 15 mg L−1 and 2.04 mg g−1 at 25 mg L−1 Methylene blue concentrations outperform unmodified samples. Reusability tests show consistent performance over six cycles, with regeneration achieved via resintering at 600 °C for 2 h. These results validate the potential of 3D-printed glycerol-modified zeolite as a reusable, high-performance adsorbent for wastewater treatment, offering an innovative approach for developing sustainable materials for environmental remediation. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Infrastructure and Regional Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sekip Utara PO Box BLS 21, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Department of Engineering Physics, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; Center for Green and Sustainable Materials, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia