Biopolymer-stabilized clay for 3D printing

This technology is a biopolymer system combining xanthan gum and locust bean gum to enhance the rheology, buildability, and mechanical strength of earthen materials for 3D-printed construction applications.

Unmet Need: Earthen materials lack strength, cohesion, and 3D printability

The construction industry contributes heavily to global carbon emissions and energy use, with cement as a major contributor, driving interest in lower-impact alternatives. Earthen materials have emerged as a promising option due to their low carbon footprint, local availability, and minimal waste, but their adoption is limited by poor mechanical strength, slow processing, and inadequate printability. Current approaches to improve these materials rely on single biopolymer additives, which fail to simultaneously provide sufficient cohesion, strength, and structural stability for 3D printing. Addressing these limitations is critical to enabling scalable, low-carbon, and structurally reliable construction solutions.

The Technology: Biopolymer-stabilized clay enables stronger, 3D-printable earthen materials

The technology combines two biopolymers, xanthan gum (XG) and locust bean gum (LBG), to form a stable, reversible gel network that coats clay particles in the earthen mixture. This synergistic combination substantially increases yield stress and storage modulus, enhancing the material’s buildability while maintaining smooth extrusion. Compared to single-polymer systems, the XG-LBG mixture provides improved thixotropic behavior, mechanical strength, and shape retention, making it well-suited for extrusion-based additive manufacturing of earthen materials.

This technology has been validated with kaolinite clay, the most abundant clay mineral on Earth.

Applications:

• Construction/building elements
• Urban planning
• Interior design (e.g., furniture or art installations)
• Carbon capture technologies
• Artificial reefs
• Lunar 3D printing and construction
• Soil erosion control
• Educational modeling and prototyping

Advantages:

• Increases the yield strength and storage modulus of earthen clay
• Enhances the buildability of earthen clay
• Offers a low-carbon alternative for construction materials
• Improves thixotropic breakdown and recovery
• Enables scalable additive manufacturing of earthen materials

Lead Inventor:

Shiho Kawashima, Ph.D.

Lola Ben-Alon, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

• Maierdan Y, Kang IK, Kim JH, Kawashima S. “Tuning clay self-assembly for 3D printing of bio-stabilized earthen materials” Matter. 2026 Feb 4; 9(2):102522.

• Maierdan Y, Seshadri AN, Jacquet Y, DeArgaujo SF, Erk KA, Kawashima S. “Programming Earthen Materials’ Shape Retention with Synergistic Biopolymers for 3D Printing.” Advanced Functional Materials. 2026 Mar 16; e74957.

• Maierdan Y, Armistead SJ, Seshadri AK, Carcassi OB, Mikofsky RA, Ben-Alon L, Srubar III WV, Erk KA, Kawashima S. “Locust bean gum–stabilized kaolin-rich earthen composites: from on-land to underwater 3D printing.” Composites Part B: Engineering. 2026 Jan 15; 113092.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU26250

• Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu