About This Project

Electrospun silk fibroin mats can encapsulate and maintain the extended function of photosynthetic microalgae for efficient CO₂ capture. High-surface-area nanofibers can optimize gas exchange, preserving algae viability and ensuring continuous fixation. This scalable, eco-friendly approach aids in GHG reduction, with potential for downstream products like biofuels, animal feed, and bioplastics, advancing sustainable carbon sequestration. The degradable silk matrix supports closed-loop systems.

Ask the Scientists

Motivating Factor

The urgent need for sustainable and efficient carbon capture solutions in the face of climate change is the primary driving factor for this work. Traditional chemical-based CO₂ capture methods can be energy-intensive and environmentally harmful (Rochelle 2009), prompting the exploration of bio-based alternatives that leverage the natural photosynthetic efficiency of microalgae (Brennan 2010). By integrating these microorganisms into electrospun silk fibroin mats, we aim to create a scalable (Huang 2003), eco-friendly (Uddin 2019) technology that combines silk’s biocompatibility and mechanical strength with high surface area materials, and microalgae’s inherent ability to convert CO₂ into biomass—ultimately contributing to climate change mitigation and a more circular bioeconomy.

Specific Bottleneck

The primary bottleneck this research addresses is the difficulty in sustaining long-term microalgal viability and robust photosynthetic output within practical, large-scale systems, which often suffer from issues such as rapid cell loss, insufficient gas exchange, and the need for energy-intensive equipment. Conventional photobioreactors or immobilization techniques often fail to balance nutrient and CO₂ diffusion within protective environments for the preservation of microalgae functions, leading to suboptimal carbon capture efficiency. By embedding microalgae directly within electrospun silk fibroin mats, this approach offers a high-surface-area, porous, and biocompatible scaffold that shields cells from mechanical stresses, enhances gas and nutrient flow, and ultimately prolongs photosynthetic functionality. Consequently, this technology aims to streamline the deployment and scalability of biological CO₂ capture processes, addressing the critical limitations of current methods.

Actionable Goals

A key actionable goal is to optimize electrospinning parameters—such as voltage, flow rate, and collector distance—to achieve uniform microalgal distribution, ensure cell viability, and maximize the mat’s gas exchange capacity. Concurrently, refining silk concentrations and incorporating tailored growth media or additives will be pursued to enhance microalgal proliferation and photosynthetic output within the scaffold. Developing standardized protocols for long-term operation, including real-time monitoring of photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient levels, will ensure sustained CO₂ capture performance. Scaling up fabrication processes to generate larger mats will be another critical milestone, enabling practical demonstrations of their effectiveness. Finally, cost analyses, environmental impact assessments, and life-cycle evaluations will guide further improvements, paving the way for commercial deployment and adoption of this bio-based carbon capture technology.