Sustainable graphene foams from plant oil: EU project Bio.3DGREEN advances industrial applications

Sponge-like structures in nature combine low weight with high stability and excellent damping properties. This principle is at the core of the EU-funded Bio.3DGREEN project. Coordinated by the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., 14 partners from nine countries are working on bio-based graphene foams that could become a sustainable alternative to conventional damping and lightweight materials.

Additive manufacturing with novel materials

At the heart of the project is a laser-based additive manufacturing process. The starting material is a paste made from plant oil and nickel-coated metal powder. During the layer-by-layer process, the metal is selectively removed, resulting in a porous graphene foam structure. The extracted metal powder can be reused, improving overall resource efficiency.

As this material is being used in additive manufacturing for the first time, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. is developing a dedicated 3D printing test bench and a tailored material feeding system. In addition, suitable laser parameters are being defined to ensure precise processing.

Sustainability and industrial potential

Alongside the technological work, the partners assess environmental and economic impacts. Life cycle assessments (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) analyses evaluate CO₂ emissions, energy consumption, and recycling potential, with the aim of integrating the technology into a European circular economy.

The developed graphene foams offer strong potential for applications in automotive, aerospace, and maritime industries, where lightweight, stable, and damping materials are in high demand.

The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme.