EAGER/Collaborative Research: Solid Freeform Fabrication of a Conceptual Artificial Photosynthesis Device

EAGER/合作研究：概念人工光合作用装置的固体自由形状制造

• 批准号: 1141815
• 负责人: Jack Zhou
• 金额: $ 10.01万
• 依托单位: Drexel University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-01 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1141815&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Collaborative; Research; Solid; Freeform

The main objective of this EArly Concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) research project is to fabricate an artificial photosynthesis device that is capable of converting sunlight, CO2 and water into sugars for the production of biofuels. Solid freeform fabrication (SFF) enhanced by high-resolution heterogeneous printing technology will be investigated to design and build the innovative device with multi-layer interconnected channels and micro-porous structures. This research will enable manufacturing and deployment of large-scale solar conversion systems that not only mimic the nature process of photosynthesis for the production of biofuels, but also make these reactions independent of the life of nature plants. An interdisciplinary research team has been formed, synergistically combining the expertise of two investigators from Drexel University and Kansas State University in solid freeform fabrication, system design and control, biomaterials, biofuels and molecular biology. The U.S. government aims to replace 20 percent (51 billion gasoline-equivalent gallons) of fossil-based transportation fuels with biofuels by the year 2030. Producing this amount of biofuel would require an unsustainably large cropping area when using any bio-based sources (biomass) that are currently available. As an alternative technology, artificial photosynthesis can produce tremendous amounts of clean and renewable biofuels because of its extremely high solar conversion efficiency and carbon neutral nature. However, lacking commercially available artificial photosynthesis devices, there is a big gap between lab-scale artificial photosynthesis technologies and in-field applications. This project will research a new manufacturing system and method to first-time fabricate a leaf-tree-like artificial photosynthesis device. This research will be the first of its kind in solid freeform fabrication of artificial photosynthesis device integrated with polymers and protein/enzyme. Knowledge obtained from this study will guide design of structures and determination of manufacturing methods of the artificial photosynthesis device, which will eventually lead to large-scale use of commercially deployable constructs for biofuel manufacturing.Successful completion of this research will lead to a new technology for designing and manufacturing an artificial photosynthesis device, which will help realize the vision of affordable bio-based energy manufacturing. Economically viable manufacturing of biofuels will greatly benefit the U.S. economy and energy security, as well as society and the environment in general. Success of the proposed activities will help expand the role of the manufacturing research community to create a new, trillion dollar energy manufacturing industry in the United States. Two doctoral students will be trained and three project-based learning modules will be created to strengthen the undergraduate engineering curricula, engaging students with design projects in design, manufacturing and energy engineering.

探索性研究（急切）研究项目的早期概念赠款的主要目的是制造一种人工光合作用装置，能够将阳光，二氧化碳和水转换为糖以生产生物燃料。将研究通过高分辨率异质印刷技术增强的固体自由形式制造（SFF），以设计和构建具有多层互连通道和微孔结构的创新设备。这项研究将使大规模太阳转换系统的制造和部署不仅模仿生物燃料生产的光合作用的自然过程，而且使这些反应与自然植物的生命无关。 已经成立了一个跨学科研究团队，协同结合了Drexel大学和堪萨斯州立大学的两名研究人员在固体自由形式制造，系统设计和控制，生物材料，生物燃料和分子生物学方面的专业知识。 美国政府的目标是在2030年替代基于化石的运输燃料的20％（510亿加油等效的加仑）。在使用任何生物质量来源时，生产这一数量的生物燃料将需要一个不可持续的大农作物（生物质量） ）当前可用。 作为一种替代技术，人工光合作用可以产生大量的清洁和可再生生物燃料，因为其太阳转换效率极高和碳中性性质。 但是，由于缺乏市售的人工光合作用设备，实验室规模的人工光合作用技术与场地应用之间存在很大的差距。 该项目将研究一种新的制造系统和方法，以首次制造类似叶子的人造光合作用设备。 这项研究将是与聚合物和蛋白质/酶集成的人工光合作用装置的固体自由形成制造中的第一项。 从这项研究中获得的知识将指导结构设计和人工光合作用设备的制造方法的确定，这最终将导致大规模利用市售的可部署构造来实现生物燃料制造。该研究的成功完成将导致一项新的技术，以实现新的技术设计和制造人造光合作用设备，这将有助于实现负担得起的基于生物的能源制造的愿景。 在经济上可行的生物燃料制造将极大地使美国的经济和能源安全，社会和整个环境受益。 拟议活动的成功将有助于扩大制造研究界的作用，以在美国创建一个新的，万亿美元的能源制造业。 将培训两名博士生，并将创建三个基于项目的学习模块，以增强本科工程课程，使学生参与设计，制造和能源工程领域的设计项目。