Photosynthetic textile biocomposites: Using laboratory testing and digital fabrication to develop flexible living building materials

Abstract Urban development and the construction industry account for a considerable proportion of global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. Emerging biological materials, such as those proposed in this paper, seek to utilize metabolic functions living microorganisms reduce some negative impacts humans on environment. The material explorations demonstrated paper propose photosynthetic capture textile built We demonstrate making practices that integrate within experimental methods digital fabrication; specifically, harnessing microalgae feed waste are capable sequestering CO from internal building settings. These new biocomposites incorporate flexible substrates, i.e. cotton, hessian, polyester, canvas, which provide range algae laden matrices continue develop change during useful part material’s lifecycle. This explores 3D printing fabrication processes studies mixtures compatible with method support ( Chlorella vulgaris processes. A incubation assessed, highlighting need biocomposites’ performance is tested using imaging pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry (Imaging-PAM) investigate changes chlorophyll fluorescence over 14 day period.