Posani Magda, Voney Vera, Odaglia Pietro, Du Yi, Komkova Anastasija, Brumaud Coralie, Dillenburger Benjamin, Habert Guillaume
Chair of Sustainable Construction, Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management (IBI), ETH Zürich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, 02150, Espoo, Finland.
Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 10;16(1):425. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54944-1.
Indoor humidity can significantly impact our comfort and well-being, often leading to the use of mechanical systems for its management. However, these systems can result in substantial carbon emissions and energy precarity. This study offers an alternative: using low-carbon materials that naturally buffer moisture to passively regulate the indoor humidity. A geopolymer composite incorporating industrial waste is implemented via binder jet 3D printing technology. The superhygroscopic nature of the material, combined with the optimal geometry of 3D-printed components, unlocks remarkable potential for passive humidity regulation, achieving a moisture buffering value over 14 g·m⁻²·%RH⁻¹. The use of 3D-printed, geopolymer tiles for surface finishing in a library hosting 15 people was shown to improve annual indoor hygrometric comfort by up to 85%, a performance inconceivable with conventional materials and techniques. Additionally, the environmental impact of these tiles is significantly lower than that of a conventional dehumidification system. This study paves the way for merging highly hygroscopic, low-carbon materials with advanced manufacturing techniques to regulate indoor humidity levels and reduce our dependency on mechanical systems.
室内湿度会显著影响我们的舒适度和健康状况，这常常导致人们使用机械系统来进行湿度管理。然而，这些系统会导致大量的碳排放和能源不稳定。本研究提供了一种替代方案：使用能自然缓冲水分的低碳材料来被动调节室内湿度。一种包含工业废料的地质聚合物复合材料通过粘结剂喷射3D打印技术得以实现。该材料的超强吸湿特性，再加上3D打印部件的最佳几何形状，释放出了被动湿度调节的巨大潜力，实现了超过14克·平方米⁻²·%RH⁻¹的吸湿缓冲值。在一个可容纳15人的图书馆中，使用3D打印的地质聚合物瓷砖进行表面装修，结果显示每年的室内湿度舒适度提高了85%，这是传统材料和技术所无法想象的性能。此外，这些瓷砖对环境的影响明显低于传统除湿系统。本研究为将高吸湿低碳材料与先进制造技术相结合以调节室内湿度水平并减少我们对机械系统的依赖铺平了道路。
