Swedish researchers are developing strong, flexible materials from plant cells. The team led by Linköping University has received funding to study how to steer these cells towards specific properties, with applications in sustainable technologies for construction, textiles and medicine.
The idea harnesses the ability of plant cells to grow through photosynthesis by consuming carbon dioxide, and the project will assess how much the material can grow by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. The approach could make bio-based materials less dependent on growing, harvesting and processing plants, which takes time, land, water and energy.
