BASF starts world’s first plant to mass-produce 3D-printed catalysts

BASF has launched the world’s first industrial-scale plant dedicated to mass-producing 3D-printed catalysts, located in Ludwigshafen. This facility utilizes additive manufacturing, specifically BASF’s X3D technology, to create catalysts with complex internal geometries that were previously unattainable through conventional methods. These advanced designs improve gas and liquid flow within reactors by reducing resistance and increasing the active surface area where chemical reactions occur. As catalysts are crucial for accelerating reactions in producing fuels, fertilizers, and industrial chemicals, these enhancements are expected to significantly boost throughput and reduce energy consumption in large-scale chemical manufacturing. The new plant aims to scale up production capacity and accelerate the deployment of these innovative catalysts to a broader customer base. BASF highlights that the technology is versatile, applicable to catalysts made from both precious and base metals, and has already demonstrated success in real-world applications, such as the sulfuric acid catalyst plant operated by An Hui Jintung in China. By tailoring catalyst designs to specific chemical processes,