“These buildings breathe”: discover the incredible seaweed material capable of absorbing tons of Co₂ while miraculously reinforcing

Climate change imposes unprecedented challenges on our company, requiring innovative and daring solutions. Meanwhile, Among these. Moreover, the use of “living” materials capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly in the atmosphere is at the top of the list. Similarly, Swiss researchers from the Federal Polytechnic School of Zurich (ETH) have developed a revolutionary material integrating cyanobacteria. Moreover, opening the way to not only autonomous “these buildings breathe”: discover incredible buildings but also active in the fight against global warming. However, This development highlights the immense potential of biotechnology to transform our environment built into a key player in carbon sequestration.

Cyanobacteria: millennial allies – "these buildings breathe": discover incredible

Cyanobacteria, often called blue-green algae, are among the oldest forms of life on our planet. However, Present for more than three billion years. Therefore, they have survived their ability to carry out photosynthesis, a complex process that uses solar light to transform water and CO₂ into oxygen and sugars. Nevertheless, What makes these organisms particularly fascinating for scientists is their ability to convert carbon not only into biomass but also in solid minerals. Meanwhile, similar to limestone. For example, This double capacity offers a considerable advantage : While biomass quickly reaches a growth ceiling. However, mineralization provides a lasting solution by fixing carbon in a solid and stable structure. Using these properties. the researchers were able “these buildings breathe”: discover incredible to create a material that not only captures CO₂ but also stocked it permanently, thus strengthening the structure of the material.

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A 3D printable hydrogel. an ideal habitat – "these buildings breathe": discover incredible

At the heart of this innovation is a hydrogel, a gelatinous substance rich in water, specially “these buildings breathe”: discover incredible designed to house cyanobacteria. Thanks to the advancement of 3D printing. this gel can be made to optimize the penetration of light, water and CO₂, three essential elements for the survival and activity of cyanobacteria. The material thus obtained is both flexible and robusthaving been successfully tested over a period of 400 consecutive days. During this period. he demonstrated an impressive ability to kidnap approximately 26 milligrams of CO₂ per gram, largely surpassing other biological methods of carbon capture. This exceptional performance opens the door to the use of such a material in many applications. especially as coating for buildings, allowing them to act as urban “lungs”, absorbing the co₂ of ambient air.

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Towards buildings that breathe carbon

Imagine a future where the facades of. buildings would no longer be simply decorative but would play an active role in the regulation of the climate. This is precisely what researchers are targeting with their living material. During an architectural exhibition in Venice. prototypes in the shape of tree trunks were presented, each capable of absorbing up to 18 kilograms of Co₂ per year. This capacity is comparable to that of a 20 -year -old pine. highlighting the enormous potential of this technology for sustainable construction. In addition to “these buildings breathe”: discover incredible its ability to capture carbon. this material gains in mechanical resistance over time thanks to the mineralization process, which makes it even more attractive for use in the construction sector. This advance represents a promising solution to transform our cities into real actors in the fight against climate change.

A promising future thanks to biotechnology

Nature has always inspired human innovations, and this living material is a perfect example. Researchers plan to further improve its performance by the genetic modification of cyanobacteria. By increasing their photosynthetic capacity, it would be possible to accelerate carbon capture, thus maximizing the efficiency of the material. Another important aspect of this research is the need to provide adequate nutrients to cyanobacteria. Although the current study has used artificial seawater. researchers “these buildings breathe”: discover incredible seek to integrate these nutrients directly into the material so that it is able to operate effectively in real conditions, as on the facade of a building. This approach could revolutionize the way in which we plan to build and manage our urban infrastructure.

This living material, energy efficient and environmentally friendly, embodies a significant advance towards ecological solutions for urban construction. Unlike industrial methods of carbon capture, often energy -consuming, this approach put on natural processes fueled by solar light. As we explore these new possibilities. we must question ourselves: how will these innovations transform our approach to construction and town planning in the years to come?

This article is based on verified sources and the assistance of editorial technologies.

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