3D printed porous chitosan/metal–organic framework composites as effective adsorbents to remove heavy metals from wastewater

To solve the complex separation and recovery after adsorption of contaminants by the powdery materials, 3D printed metal–organic composite frameworks of chitosan/ZIF-67 were prepared to remove lead ions (5.47 mg/g) via adsorption from contaminated wastewater. The materials developed were characterized by SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and XRS techniques. Adsorption of lead ions followed both pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal models. Adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic as explained in terms of surface complexation, hydrogen bond, and ion exchange between the adsorbate and adsorbents. The methods used can be considered for practical applications to address water contamination at the polluted industrial sites. The 3D printing technology of large-scale models provides scientific basis and data support for large-scale remediation of contaminated water samples in industrial sectors.