Date Thesis Awarded
5-2022
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Science (BS)
Department
Applied Science
Advisor
Hannes Schniepp
Committee Members
Margaret Saha
Mark Forsyth
Abstract
One of the great challenges of the twenty-first century is climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. In response to the needs of modern society and emerging ecological concerns, it is essential to find new environmentally friendly materials. New synthetic materials with nanoscale dimensions and unique properties have been extensively explored in the last two decades for new solutions for energy production and storage (1,2,3). Among them, porous nanostructures with different morphologies made from materials including carbon, inorganic oxides, and polymers were increasingly explored (3). Diatom frustules have several hierarchical layers of porous membranes with different pore sizes and patterns. The use of diatom frustules as a 3D printable biomaterial can provide insight into the current climate implications of increasing bioenergy and biomaterials, which are often seen as a sustainable way to help mitigate climate change. Microalgal growth maximization is essential to produce large quantities of diatom frustules for biomaterials. Here we proposed two potential methods to efficiently produce diatom frustules: 1) Optimizing diatom growth to reach higher density and biomass in culture 2) genetic manipulation of diatom morphology.
Recommended Citation
Liang, Jindayi, "The Basics of Diatom Frustules as 3D Printable Biomaterial: From Optimal Growth Media to Genetic Manipulation" (2022). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1820.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1820
