Work

3D printing of composites of Martian regolith simulants and cyanobacterial biomass towards sustainable material production on Mars

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The long-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on Mars requires the capacity to produce essential consumables on-site. To this end, we develop strategies for processing inorganic oxidic powders and biomass into highly particle-filled composites using direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing. Our approach relies on a simulant of a Martian regolith unit rich in hydrated clay minerals and food-grade spirulina, used as proxies for local regolith and cyanobacterial biomass, respectively. The composites are further reinforced through crosslinking with the plant-based molecule genipin. Detailed rheological analysis was performed for the 3D printing feedstocks, while the printed composites were characterized using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), surface area porosity analysis (BET), microscopy and mechanical tests. Dissolution tests demonstrated that genipin effectively crosslinks the cyanobacterial biomass. The outcome is a highly porous, lightweight material with adaptable, complex morphology, which has significant potential for use in the resource-constrained environments of long-duration Mars missions.

Source: npj Microgravity

DOI: 10.1038/s41526-025-00521-9

Authors: Sophia Mannes Guesser De Oliveira, Kurosch Rezwan, Cyprien Verseux, Michael Maas

Institution: University of Bremen

Language: English

Topic: Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,690