A faculty member at the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, has received an Indian patent for producing cement mortar brick with inclusion of bacteria in combination.
The brick thus made claims to be superior than the conventional ones in terms of strength and life of the structure and possess a self-healing property.
T. Palanisamy, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the institute, had applied for the patent in 2014 and it was granted in June 2022.
According to Mr. Palanisamy, 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. This invention is not limited to this specific system but using the same technique, development of biocement and bioconcrete are feasible, towards which a research group under the faculty is working on.
Mr. Palanisamy has also established a Bio-Concrete Lab, funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board, under the Department of Science and Technology in the Department of Civil Engineering. It is equipped with sophisticated UV-VIS spectrophotometer and Data Acquisition Systems, according to a release from the NIT-K.
