Additive manufacturing and performance study of hierarchically structured ceramics and monolithic catalysts

In the background of carbon neutrality, monolithic ceramic catalysts are universally used in energy conversion and chemical catalysis due to the high heat and mass transfer efficiencies, low bed pressures, and scalability through modular design. However, traditional manufacturing processes are limited by mold dependence, organic solvent toxicity, and insufficient molding capability for complex structures, resulting in difficulty achieving precise regulation of cross-scale pores. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology employs a digital layered molding strategy to achieve the cross-scale structural regulation of catalysts from macroscopic flow channels to mesopores and micropores. This paper summarizes recent advances in the structural design of monolithic catalysts enabled by AM technologies and highlights their emerging applications in catalytic processes. Structurally, AM-fabricated monoliths have been effectively employed in key chemical reactions such as fuel reforming, CO₂ conversion, biofuel synthesis. Strategies such as geometrical topology optimization, multi-scale pore synergy, biomimetic structural design, and functional gradient integration have been utilized to enhance heat and mass transport, reduce pressure drops, and improve overall catalytic performance. By overcoming the limitations of traditional catalysts, AM technologies create a new paradigm for addressing the longstanding challenge of coupling mass transfer with reaction kinetics. This approach provides a feasible pathway for driving both theoretical innovation and practical implementation of high-efficiency catalytic systems.