Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new photosynthetic material that can grow, harden, and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while staying alive. The material uses cyanobacteria, ancient microbes that are highly efficient at photosynthesis, embedded in a printable hydrogel. The bacteria form a living structure that grows using sunlight, CO2, and nutrient-rich artificial seawater, and over time, they trigger mineralization, hardening the material and storing carbon in solid form. The material can store carbon not only in biomass but also in the form of minerals, with laboratory tests showing that it can bind CO2 for 400 days. The team sees the living material as a low-energy, environmentally friendly alternative to industrial forms of carbon capture, and they envision using it as a coating for building façades to bind CO2 throughout the entire life cycle of a building. The technology is still experimental, but it has already captured the imagination of architects, with a recent exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale showcasing the material’s potential.
Researchers develop innovative 3D-printed substance that absorbs carbon dioxide.
