Introduction

The invention concerns the production of sustainable porous material from economical and environmental point of view. The materials are produced from industrial by-products and low cost materials as alginates. The material proposed could be used to reduce pollutants in the wastewaters and in the atmosphere (such as air particulate matter PM).

Technical features

The invention regards the synthesis of a new porous-mesoporous hybrid material which is an affordable and sustainable solution for the removal of air particulate matter (PM) and organic contaminants. The material was developed from industrial by-products and low cost materials such as alginates. The material is obtained by a low cost sol gel process and thermal treatment at low temperature (70/80°C, or with solar energy). The material is very versatile. It can be printed by 3D printing or applied as a coating on several cities infrastructures (walls, roofs, street borders or highway panels) by spray or by brush. The material can be easily regenerated by rainfall.

 

 

 

Possible Applications

• The material can be applied as coating on roofs, walls, highway panels or street borders;
• Inexpensive and sustainable alternative to activated carbon for water remediation.

Advantages

• The use of low-impact materials by choosing nontoxic low-cost materials and by-products that require little energy for processing;
• The use of processes that require low energy;
• The versatility of the materials: it can be deposited by extrusion, 3D printing, by spray or by brush;
• Porosity of materials from few nanometers to some microns;
• Regeneration of materials.