For centuries, builders have made concrete the same way: mixing hard materials like sand with binders. Now, scientists are giving the material a modern upgrade.
Manchester scientists have created a new building material dubbed StarCrete. This living concrete is made from simulated Mars dust, potato starch and salt. It’s also twice as strong as traditional concrete.
Bio-concrete
Concrete is the foundation of much of our modern world, but it is also responsible for a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions. The solution is a revolutionary new material called Bio-concrete, which uses bacteria to create stronger, more eco-friendly buildings. The process begins with sand and limestone, which are readily available and widely used throughout the world. These materials are then mixed with Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria and gelatin. The bacteria bind the sand particles together, while the gelatin provides structure. The mixture is then poured into molds and left to cure in the sun. The end result is a brick that is stronger than traditional concrete, and is capable of self healing when cracked or damaged.
The bacteria used in this type of concrete are able to metabolize the calcium ions that are present in the concrete, and form insoluble calcium carbonate. This makes the concrete less likely to crack, and helps to increase its tensile strength. Researchers have tested the acid durability of this type of concrete, and found that it can withstand harsh conditions better than normal concrete.
While this new technology is not yet ready for mass production, it has great potential for the future. It could reduce the need for maintenance, reducing costs and curbing CO2 emissions. It could even be used for disaster relief efforts, as it is cheaper and easier to build than traditional concrete.
CABKOMA Strand Rod
With its ability to transfer earthquake forces from the building directly to the ground, CABKOMA strand rod is the world’s lightest seismic reinforcement material. It also has an attractive appearance, making it a design element rather than just a structural support. Developed by The Komatsu Seiten Fabric Laboratory in Japan, CABKOMA is the future of strong, beautiful construction.
Earthquakes are a constant threat in many parts of the world, so it is crucial to build structures with the right kind of protection. However, many buildings were built without taking seismic pressures into account, and implementing this type of technology would be very expensive.
To help protect buildings from seismic forces, engineers are looking for new materials that can be used as a reinforcement system. A recent study has found that carbon fiber composites can provide this service while also being aesthetically pleasing. Researchers have developed a solution called CABKOMA strand rod, which is made from thin carbon fiber strands that are coated in a mixture of inorganic and synthetic fibers and then impregnated with thermoplastic resin.
To demonstrate the potential of this innovative product, architects have draped it around a number of different building exteriors. The resulting designs are beautiful, and they highlight the potential of this technology to revolutionize the way buildings are designed and constructed.
StarCrete
The construction of a permanent human presence on the Moon and Mars will require buildings with thick walls and ceilings to protect against radiation exposure and meteor strikes. To reduce the cost and complexity of such structures, a team from the University of Manchester in England has developed StarCrete. This strong brick is made from a unique list of ingredients, including extraterrestrial dust, potato starch, and a pinch of salt.
The researchers report in the journal Open Engineering that the material performs at more than double the compressive strength of regular concrete. When created from simulated Mars dust, it reached 72 MPa, while those made with simulated moon dust performed even better at over 91 MPa. Compared to previous recipes from the same team that used astronauts’ blood and urine as binding agents, this approach is more practical. The lead researcher on the project, Dr. Aled Roberts, notes that “astronauts probably don’t want to be living in houses built from scabs and pee.”
The scientists say that StarCrete is more environmentally friendly than cement because it can be made using local resources instead of being transported across the galaxy. And, because it can be made using a typical oven or microwave at normal home baking temperatures, the process generates less energy. The team has also launched a startup, DeakinBio, to explore ways to improve the material so it can be employed in terrestrial construction as well.
Bio-bricks
Researchers from CU Boulder have developed a brick that grows and can even heal itself. The bricks are made out of human waste and living bacteria, which suck up carbon dioxide from the air while forming a hard, rigid structure that can take on many shapes. They can also withstand similar loads to regular bricks, but they do so without generating much CO2. The mix is so durable that it could replace steel and cement in building construction, which emit a lot of carbon dioxide during production.
The bio-bricks are built using standard biological parts, which can be combined to create complex genetic circuits. These parts, or genes, consist of DNA sequences that are inserted into the genome of Escherichia coli cells to construct new, living organisms. The parts can be programmed to perform a variety of tasks. For example, they can be programmed to produce proteins that can clean up toxic chemicals or suck carbon dioxide from the air.
Six design mixes were produced, including rice bran and sawdust with and without mycelium. The results showed that the bricks with mycelium had a higher average compressive strength result than those without it. They also had a higher flexural strength. Moreover, mycelium growth had a significant impact on the bricks’ linear dimensional change. However, further investigation is needed to assess the durability of these bricks.