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Self-Healing of Concrete-A New Technology for a More Sustainable Future

Self-healing materials are a class of smart materials that have the structurally incorporated ability to repair damage caused by mechanical usage over time. The inspiration comes from biological systems, which have the ability to heal after being wounded. Initiation of cracks and other types of damage on a microscopic level has been shown to change thermal, electrical, and acoustic properties, and eventually lead to total failure of the material. Usually, cracks are mended by hand, which is difficult because cracks are often hard to detect. A material (polymers, ceramics, etc.) that can intrinsically correct damages caused by normal usage could lower production costs of a number of different industrial processes through longer service life, reduction of inefficiency over time caused by degradation, as well as avoidance of costs incurred by material failure. For a material to be defined as selfhealing, it is necessary that the healing process occurs without human intervention. Researchers are taking both chemically and biologically-based approaches to create concrete that heals itself. Chemical approaches typically use outside or embedded water supplies to activate dry cement grains, while biologists are looking at bacteria to fill the pores.