AIR-INK: Printing with captured carbon

According to WHO, 5-6 million people die every year as a result of exposure (direct and/or indirect) to air pollution. Much of these emissions come from fossil fuels; when fossil fuels burn, they produce carbon-rich atmospheric particles (also known as PM2.5) that pollute the air and cause climate change. The global warming potential of carbon PM is 460 times higher than CO2. AIR-INK is made a proprietary process that utilizes a filter-less media to capture PM2.5 carbon emissions, treat them for impurities, and turns them into industrial pigments, ink, and composite materials. I led the technical development and engineering. This work went through joint-development pilots at multiple locations with top international corporations such as Kering Group, DELL, Pangaia, Mastercard, and Diageo Group, featured at World Economic Forum, UN Environment as a case-study.

It addresses two problems related to air pollution and the circular economy:

Firstly, it prevents the release of carbon emissions/PM2.5/particulate matter and air pollutants into air; Secondly, (hence) it replaces carbon black in the ink-making process, thereby aiding the printing industry in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.

We designed a filterless capture technology, and treatment process to harvest and utilize carbon emissions.

Winner: MIT SOLVE 2020, Shell- Make The Future Grant, General Motors Circular Economy Grant 2020, Finalist- Masschallenge 2019

MIT Spinoff Graviky Labs wins Falling Walls Science Summit 2021 award – MIT Media Lab

Spinoff Graviky Labs has been listed as a winner in the Science Start-Ups category of this year’s Falling Walls Science Summit.

www.media.mit.edu

PANGAIA’s Game Changing Collaboration Draws Carbon From Air Pollution To Print Textiles

PANGAIA uses carbon extracted from air pollution to print new capsule collection, but plans to expand the innovation to all its products. Partnership with cleantech startup Graviky Labs, who operate in India, has made this possible.

www.forbes.com

Kaalink early prototype for vehicular capture

Kaalink DG set prototype for capturing PM2.5 from stacks

Collaboration with Carbon Tile

Credit: Tejas Sidnal, Giriprasad K. Carbon Craft Design utilizes one tonne of black carbon particles removed from the atmosphere in 2020. The team also employs local artisans from other parts of India to use a traditional handcrafted technique to make cement tiles instead of the conventional vitrified tiles that involve large energy consumption during manufacturing and polishing.