The invention of a supposedly superior cement mortar brick with self-healing properties, made by an NITK Surathkal civil engineering faculty member, has received an Indian patent.
The brick, with inclusion of bacteria in combination, claims to be superior to conventional bricks, in terms of strength and life of structure, apart from possessing the self-healing property.
It was developed by T Palanisamy, an assistant professor in the department of civil engineering. Along with him were research scholars V Senthilkumar and V N Vijaykumar. The invention is titled as ‘microbialcreat composite’.
Palanisamy said that patent was filed in 2014, and was received in June, 2022.
According to him, microbialcreat composite is a new-age material, with the property of self-healing upon cracking.
This action is by the precipitation of lime (calcium carbonate) by the non-pathogenic bacteria, used in the composite, upon coming into contact with air and water, through the crack.
The precipitated lime will cover the crack, thereby improving the stability of the surface. The non-pathogenic bacteria of genus ‘Enterobacter’, ‘Enterococcus’ and ‘Serratia’, and its growth solution, are part of this invented composite, along with sand and cement.
Palanisamy said that this invention is not limited to this specific system, but using the same technique, development of bio-cement and bio-concrete are also feasible, towards which a research group under him is working.
Palanisamy has also established a bio-concrete lab, funded by DST-SERB, in NITK’s department of civil engineering. It is equipped with sophisticated ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy spectrophotometer and data acquisition systems.
