Archive · 28 Jun 2025
New 'Living' Material Absorbs CO2, Could Help Fight Climate Change
Imagine a special material like a plant that can suck up bad air (CO2) from the atmosphere.
Scientists made this using tiny organisms called blue-green algae.
These organisms use sunlight, water, and CO2 to make oxygen and sugars, like plants do.
They also can make strong building blocks that store the CO2 safely.
This material is kept in a gel and uses special 3D shapes to work better.
Tests show it works for a long time, storing the CO2 as a mineral.
This could be used in buildings to help clean the air, like having mini-trees in the walls that eat up pollution!
Scientists developed a 'photosynthetic' material using blue-green algae to absorb CO2.
The material converts CO2, sunlight, and water into oxygen, sugars, and construction components.
The material is made of a hydrogel carrier with optimized 3D-printed structures for efficiency.
Test results showed continuous CO2 absorption over 400 days, with carbon stored as minerals.
The material can sequester CO2 comparable to chemical mineralisation of recycled concrete.
- Who
- Researchers developed the material.
- What
- Scientists developed a photosynthetic material to absorb CO2.
- When
- The material was tested for 400 days.
- Where
- The researchers presented the material at an art exhibition in Venice, Italy.
- Why
- To fight climate change and provide a permanent carbon storage solution.
- Material Type
- Photosynthetic material
- Key Component
- Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)
- Carrier Material
- Hydrogel
- CO2 Sequestration Method
- Biomass accumulation and inorganic carbonate precipitation
- Test Duration
- 400 days
- CO2 Captured
- 26 mg per gram of material