Can 3D printing save our oceans?

In our recent 3D printing White Paper, we discussed how additive manufacturing has taken off in sectors such as automotive, aerospace and energy, and how the use of 3D-printing to produce on-demand, on-site and customized products - including spare parts and limited production runs - supports sustainable manufacturing by reducing waste and minimizing carbon footprint.

But beyond these applications, 3D printing is also being used in a range of ways to repair, protect and support our marine environments.

In Miami, engineers are tackling coastal erosion and rising sea levels with 3D-printed “Living Seawalls”, which combine structural protection with ecological benefits, by using pH-neutral concrete and textured surfaces that support marine life. These seawalls also feature embedded sensors that monitor water quality and turbidity in real time, aiding adaptive environmental management. And at Friedrichsort pier, near Kiel, a new artificial reef comprising CO₂-reduced “Xstone” blocks also features 3D-printed “fish hotels”, designed to provide shelter and encourage breeding.

Across the world, 3D-printed coral reefs, formed from intricately-patterned tiles, are being deployed to restore marine ecosystems, often using traditional materials such as terracotta. In Australia, complex lattice structures, 3D-printed from industrial potato starch waste, are being developed to support mangrove seedlings in coastal swamps and wetlands. And in Suffolk, artificial nesting structures - designed to protect seabird populations - are being kitted out with 3D-printed bird models, which reassure nesting seabirds that the structures are safe to use. The models are based on real-life kittiwakes and printed from recycled plastic.

As well as creating structures to be used in our oceans and coastal environments, 3D printing is also being used to take unwanted materials out.

Discarded fishing nets are being transformed into nylon filaments and pellets for use in 3D printing for a range of products, including sunglasses and single-use razors, and ocean plastic is collected and recycled to create 3D-printed furniture and even PPE for healthcare workers.

3D printing is also being used at the University of Bath to create indium oxide structures with a high surface area which can filter out up to 75% of a common “forever chemical”, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), from water. Researchers in Hong Kong have developed a 3D-printed aerogel which - together with sunlight - can turn saltwater into drinking water.

Researchers seeking new ways to monitor marine ecosystems are also turning to additive manufacturing to produce low-cost, 3D-printed buoys which measure water temperature; for satellite tag holders used to monitor whales; and even 3D-printed underwater steel habitats which will allow scientists to study the marine environment.

So can 3D printing save our oceans? OK, probably not - at least, not on its own. But the use of additive manufacturing to create intricate underwater structures, low-cost monitoring devices and consumer products from a range of ocean waste materials, is certainly helping. And as new materials, manufacturing methods and applications come online, we can expect to see a wealth of future innovation in this important area.

Marks & Clerk is proud to be a member of Additive Manufacturing UK, a leading organisation dedicated to promoting and advancing the use of additive manufacturing technologies in the UK. We are committed to staying at the forefront of additive manufacturing developments and providing our clients with the most up-to-date legal guidance and support.