Robotic Extrusion of Algae-Laden Hydrogels for Large-Scale Applications.

A bioprinting technique for large-scale, custom-printed immobilization of microalgae is developed for potential applications within architecture and the built environment. Alginate-based hydrogels with various rheology modifying polymers and varying water percentages are characterized to establish a window of operation suitable for layer-by-layer deposition on a large scale. Hydrogels formulated with methylcellulose and carrageenan, with water percentages ranging from 80% to 92.