Foam that captures energy and removes excess carbon dioxide from the air

by: Mirjam Visser, 2010-05-11 07:57:13 UTC
Sustainability Aspects: artificial photosynthetic material which uses plant, bacterial, frog and fungal enzymes, trapped within a foam housing, to produce sugars from sunlight and carbon dioxide. It captures CO2 and the sugar can be used to make ethanol.

Sugar producing Foam

University of Cincinnati’s work focused on making a new artificial photosynthetic material which uses plant, bacterial, frog and fungal enzymes, trapped within a foam housing, to produce sugars from sunlight and carbon dioxide.

Foam was chosen because it can effectively concentrate the reactants but allow very good light and air penetration. The design was based on the foam nests of a semi-tropical frog called the Tungara frog, which creates very long-lived foams for its developing tadpoles.

“The advantage for our system compared to plants and algae is that all of the captured solar energy is converted to sugars, whereas these organisms must divert a great deal of energy to other functions to maintain life and reproduce,” says Wendell. “Our foam also uses no soil, so food production would not be interrupted, and it can be used in highly enriched carbon dioxide environments, like the exhaust from coal-burning power plants, unlike many natural photosynthetic systems.”

He adds, “In natural plant systems, too much carbon dioxide shuts down photosynthesis, but ours does not have this limitation due to the bacterial-based photo-capture strategy.”

There are many benefits to being able to create a plant-like foam.

“You can convert the sugars into many different things, including ethanol and other biofuels,” Wendell explains. “And it removes carbon dioxide from the air, but maintains current arable land for food production.”

Designer: University of Cincinnati; David Wendell, Jacob Todd, Carlo Montemagno
Manufacturer: na yet
Category: CO2 capturing material, alternative energy
Websites: www.uc.edu/news/NR.aspx?id=11558

Images

Fef89440-3f00-012d-4480-40405940767a
Sugar producing Foam
15e4ad00-3f03-012d-4480-40405940767a
The foam
Fef89440-3f00-012d-4480-40405940767a
Sugar producing Foam
artificial photosynthetic material which uses plant, bacterial, frog and fungal enzymes

Comments by our Users

Be the first to write a comment for this item.

Welcome

@ D4S, a platform by designers for designers, sharing ideas and knowledge on sustainable design
Learn more |  Leave Feedback
We are not-for-profit and want a trustworthy, independent site without advertisements.


If you like to use D4S please donate to enable us to pay hosting fees and extend the site. Thank you for your support!
Join us on LinkedIn