Michigan State University researchers discover scattered light boosts algae production
Now, researchers at Michigan State University have developed a fiber-optic-inspired technology that distributes sunlight more evenly throughout algae cultivation systems, increasing biomass productivity by as much as six times in outdoor testing.
The researchers believe the technology could benefit a wide range of applications that rely on photosynthetic organisms, including biofuel production, carbon capture and sustainable manufacturing.
One longstanding challenge in algae farming has been getting enough sunlight to all the algae inside a cultivation system. As algae grow, cells near the surface absorb much of the available light, leaving cells deeper in the system with too little light to photosynthesize efficiently.
To solve the problem, the research team created flexible hydrogel optical fibers embedded with silica nanoparticles that are about 2.5 millimeters in diameter, or as thick as a typical plastic drinking straw. Rather than delivering sunlight to a single point, the fibers scatter light along their entire length, creating more uniform illumination throughout the cultivation system.
In outdoor testing under natural sunlight, the fibers significantly increased photosynthetic efficiency and boosted biomass productivity by as much as six times compared with conventional cultivation systems.
Category: Research
