Design of Microbe-laden Materials for 3D Printing

Goal
The aim of this project is to develop microorganism-based living materials that actively sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The combination of hydrogels and microorganisms allows the tuning of both material properties that are suitable for various additive manufacturing technologies and carbon sequestration pathways through the selection of microorganisms. By isolating the microorganisms from their native environment, living materials bring about the full potential of the microorganisms and enable them to provide additional functionality to the supporting scaffold. This class of carbon sequestrating living materials will serve as an environmentally friendly alternative to the existing carbon sequestration methods.

Methodology
Various additive manufacturing technologies, such as extrusion-based 3D printing, digital light processing (DLP), and volumetric printing, are employed to shape the living material into desired shapes. The living construct is then cultured in appropriate bacterial culture media that allow the proliferation of cells and aid the metabolic activities of the microorganisms. Characterization techniques such as SEM and XRD analysis, are used to understand the microscopic properties of the living construct. Shear-rheometry and tensile tester are used to explore the macroscopic changes in the overall mechanical properties of the materials.