Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a groundbreaking new material that not only grows but also removes CO2 from the air, twice. The material is made from a printable gel infused with cyanobacteria, which are highly efficient at photosynthesis. When exposed to sunlight and artificial seawater, the material grows and binds carbon dioxide from the air. This “photosynthetic living material” has the potential to provide invaluable opportunities in the fight against climate change. The material can be shaped using 3D printing and can absorb as much carbon in a year as a 20-year-old pine tree. According to ETH Professor Mark Tibbitt, it could be used as a building material to store CO2 directly in buildings. The material is being showcased at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where visitors can see it in action in an installation of tree-like columns. This innovative material offers a promising solution for reducing carbon dioxide levels and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Researchers have created a bizarre, living 3D printed gel that consumes carbon dioxide in a unique, dual-process method.
