# From pixels to pores: 3D-(im)printed hierarchically porous polymer monoliths

## TL;DR

Researchers developed 3D-printed polymers that can specifically capture cannabidiol (CBD), showing high efficiency and potential for practical use in purifying health substances.

## Contribution

First comprehensive characterization of 3D-printed molecularly imprinted polymers with tunable hierarchical porosity and programmable macrogeometries.

## Key findings

- 3DMIPs achieved a 10.3-fold CBD enrichment with an imprinting factor of 3.7.
- Highly porous lattice design enabled a CBD uptake of 1.65 mg/g, outperforming coarser analogs.
- Pore architecture and interconnectivity significantly influence binding efficiency and mass transfer.

## Abstract

Bridging molecular recognition with scalable materials is a central challenge in polymer science. Here, we present the first comprehensive characterization of LCD-based 3D-printed molecularly imprinted polymers (3DMIPs) with digitally programmable macrogeometries and tunable hierarchical porosity, revealing their optimization potential. As a case study, 3DMIPs targeting the specific enrichment of cannabidiol (CBD) are demonstrated. A highly porous lattice yields a 10.3-fold CBD enrichment, an imprinting factor of 3.7, and a CBD uptake of 1.65 mg/g, outperforming a coarser analog. Imaging and porosimetry reveal the pore architecture, pore interconnectivity, and pore size distribution, which, together with the macrogeometry, critically influence mass transfer and binding efficiency in these functional 3D materials. The 3DMIPs exhibit excellent thermal stability, highlighting suitability for practical applications. This work addresses the trade-off between molecular recognition, scalability, and design freedom, positioning 3DMIPs as a promising candidate for various applications, such as purifying health-promoting substances from complex plant matrices.

•Hierarchically porous, 3D-(im)printed monoliths enable specific CBD enrichment•3D printing concept for MIPs successfully transferred to therapeutic CBD•First comprehensive characterization of 3DMIPs as a basis for material optimization•Scalable, reproducible, and sustainable fabrication process for 3DMIPs

Hierarchically porous, 3D-(im)printed monoliths enable specific CBD enrichment

3D printing concept for MIPs successfully transferred to therapeutic CBD

First comprehensive characterization of 3DMIPs as a basis for material optimization

Scalable, reproducible, and sustainable fabrication process for 3DMIPs

Chemistry; Molecular imprinted technique; Materials science; Polymers