An enzyme extracted from blood cells can be used to make a form of self-healing concrete that is four times more durable than traditional formulae.
That’s the finding of a team of researches at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts in the USA. The researchers say the carbonic anhydrase enzyme taken from blood cells reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide to create calcium carbonate crystals that automatically fill cracks before they cause structural problems.
The work, published in the journal Applied Materials Today, details three concrete mixes. One will autonomously mend small cracks, a second can induce self-healing in larger cracks, and a third can be used to mend cracks that have already formed in traditional concrete.
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