3-D printed biopolymer could save planet’s embattled coral reefs

In the United Kingdom, researchers at the University of Cambridge have demonstrated that 3-D printed artificial coral made of biopolymers, hydrogels, and cellulose nanomaterials are capable of being colonized by algae. The symbiotic relationship between algae and coral is key for replacing dwindling coral reefs, which provide a habitat for about a quarter of all marine life.

“Our goal was to use corals as inspiration to develop more productive techniques for growing microalgae. Unlike existing techniques that utilize a liquid growth medium and an external source shining light from above, our nature-inspired approach successfully mimics how corals trap light and distribute it internally to microalgae,” says Daniel Wangpraseurt, marine biologist at the University of Cambridge.

Replicating the optical properties of natural coral was key to creating a viable environment for algae. “[T]he real success of our bioprinting approach hinged on investigating materials that although they interact weakly with light (to achieve high-resolution coral structures), they can also scatter light to algae,” says Silvia Vignolini, from Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge.

The results were published in a recent issue of Nature Communications.