CSIRO develops 3D-printed catalyst for chemical production
Researchers at Australia's CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) have developed a catalyst that could significantly improve the efficiency of chemical and drug production. The new technology combines catalyst and flow reactor technology and is the first example of the technology that could be commercialised. Usually, catalysts must be removed at the end of industrial processing to ensure that they do not leach into the product, "an often tedious, time-consuming and costly task". However, CSIRO's new method coats and immobilises the catalyst on 3D-printed specially designed rods using CSIRO’s Cold Spray technology, a process that removes the need to filter out the catalyst.
A team of CSIRO scientists has developed a catalyst that may expedite the manufacturing of drugs and chemicals.

The new process, when combined with flow chemistry removes the need to filter out catalysts.

CSIRO’s FloWorks Centre for Industrial Flow Chemistry researcher Dr James Gardiner said the team used the technique to create the antiobiotic Linezolid.

The team’s research was the first successful example of combine catalyst and flow reactor technology that could be commercialised.

The catalyst is then removed at the end – an often tedious, time-consuming and costly task.

CSIRO’s new method involved it 3D printing specially designed rods known as static mixers at, then using its Cold Spray technology to coat and immobilise the catalyst onto the rods.

The rods were then placed inside the flow reactor, allowing reactions to occur without the catalyst leaching into the product.