Scientists at ETH Zurich are creating “living materials” that combine biology and design to capture carbon dioxide from the air. The material is a 3D-printable gel filled with cyanobacteria, which can grow, breathe, and remove CO2. The bacteria turn CO2 and water into biomass, and as they grow, they create an alkaline environment that forms minerals, making the material harder and stronger. The team has successfully tested the material, which can absorb CO2 for over a year, storing around 26 milligrams of CO2 per gram of material. The material is created using a hydrogel, which provides a habitat for the cyanobacteria, and 3D printing, which allows for the creation of complex shapes that maximize surface area. The researchers envision using this material in architecture to create buildings that can capture CO2 and help mitigate climate change. The technology is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to be scaled up and used in everyday buildings, providing a low-energy and high-impact solution for carbon capture.
Revolutionary new material created through 3D printing has the unique ability to expand, absorb oxygen, and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
