| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Natural Fibers and Biocomposites: A Sustainable Solution
|
| Presentation Title |
Diatoms: A Sustainable Resource for Carbon-Negative, Multi-Functional Ceramic and Organic Materials |
| Author(s) |
Aidan Lucas, Hannes C. Schniepp |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Hannes C. Schniepp |
| Abstract Scope |
Diatoms are photosynthetic, algal micro-organisms living in so vast amounts in the oceans and other water bodies that they are responsible for 25% of Earth’s oxygen production. We grow diatom monocultures in the lab in a fully scalable manner, and we have developed techniques to harvest and purify both their inorganic biosilica frustules and their organic extracellular matrices to make novel, multi-functional materials and composites with a unique set of properties. The frustules are hierarchically structured monoliths made from silica, featuring outstanding specific strength. They can withstand temperatures upward of 1,000 °C, exhibit low thermal conductivity and are flame retardant. Likewise, the organic diatom components are very promising, since they exhibit a unique structure and can be readily turned into bulk materials. Consequently, we believe that diatoms are a highly promising platform to not only make novel materials, but simultaneously sequester carbon from the atmosphere. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Mechanical Properties, Biomaterials, Ceramics |