Imagine a world where buildings repair themselves, just like human skin does to a wound. The interesting discovery of a group of researchers from Drexel University has brought a new type of bacterial cement capable of self-healing cracks that form over time.
The cement? Our second water
Take this fact as it comes: concrete is the second most consumed material on Earth, immediately after the water. A reality that poses sad questions before us (is there really nothing better? Couldn't we use other materials, even just for some things? I don't know, like hemp). Legitimate questions if we consider the enormous carbon emissions linked to its production process.
For years, scientists have been searching solutions green and sustainable to improve this thousand-year-old material.
Longer life, less impact
A critical aspect of concrete is its durability. In some environments, it begins to weaken and degrade already after about 50 years from the pose. Delaying this degradation process can be an effective strategy to optimize material use.
Drexel's new research focuses precisely on this aspect, proposing an innovative method to extend the life of concrete. As? By making a sort of bacterial "blood" pass through it, a fluid capable of building fibers that repair its cracks.
At the heart of this revolution is “BioFiber,” a polymer coated with a bacteria-infused hydrogel, encased in a responsive case measuring just 0,5 millimeters. When concrete cracks, the BioFibers break down, letting water in and activating bacteria Lysinibacillus sphaericus, which begin to produce calcium carbonate, filling and “healing” the cracks.
A bacterial process, but inspired by human skin
The approach adopted by the researchers is directly inspired by the self-repair mechanisms of human skin. “These BioFibers mimic this concept and use lime-creating bacteria to create a living, self-healing concrete,” he explains Amir Farnam, co-leader of the research.
In recent tests (I'll link the paper here), the cement has proven to be able to “cure” within two days. While more research is still needed to better understand and control repair time, the potential for these self-healing materials is enormous. They could reduce the need to produce new cement, with significant implications for the environment.
These types of technologies could transform (literally) the way we build and maintain the future.
