Coral inspires CO2 capturing building materials

Described in npj Advcanced Manufacturing, the new technique was developed by engineers at the University of Southern California (USC). It replicates the biomineralisation process that coral reefs use to grow, sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The USC team first created 3D-printed polymer scaffolds that mimic coral’s organic templates and coated them with a thin conductive layer. These structures were then connected to electrochemical circuits as cathodes and immersed in a calcium chloride solution.

When carbon dioxide was added to the solution, it underwent hydrolysis and was broken down into bicarbonate ions. These ions reacted with calcium in the solution to form calcium carbonate, which gradually filled the 3D-printed pores. The final product was a dense mineral-polymer composite.

“This is a pivotal step in the evolution of converting carbon dioxide,” said Qiming Wang, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.