The 3D-BioCat project is developing a new technology platform for growing light-powered biofilms that can sustainably produce building blocks for polymers. The core innovation is the use of modular Hybrid Living Material (HLM) reactors, designed to host different types of biofilms and mimic the efficiency of natural systems.

The project explores two nature-inspired reactor formats: a spiral cylinder and a semi-ellipsoid design, and compares them in terms of catalytic efficiency and potential for industrial scale-up.

To demonstrate the concept, a laboratory-scale prototype reactor will be constructed to produce epsilon-caprolactone continuously from cyclohexanol, a key intermediate in the production of biodegradable polycaprolactone polymer. Additionally, advanced imaging and analytical techniques will be employed to monitor biofilm growth and performance within the reactors, with the goal of sustaining biofilm activity over extended reaction times.

In the future, our new scalable HLMs-based bioreactors should harness the potential of productive biofilms to continuously produce chemicals and energy carriers.