Unlocking the efficacy of cement-shell encapsulation for microbial self-healing process of concrete cracks

Abstract

Oxygen supply and bacterial viability are crucial for efficient calcium carbonate precipitation in concrete crack healing processes. However, the open deliverance of oxygen-releasing compounds (ORCs) and bacterial spores during concrete mixing and casting poses a threat to spore viability and limits oxygen availability. To address these challenges, we developed an innovative approach integrating an oxygen self-supply strategy with bacterial strain B6. As such, B6 spores, along with Ca(OH)2 and CaO2 as oxygen sources and essential nutrients, were embedded within cement-shell microcapsules to build a microbial self-healing system. The result shows that in the presence of oxygen source and nutrients, B6 group (BPN) exhibits successful crack repair, achieving a repair ratio of approximately 100% after 30 days, while other control groups show less effective repair rates (20–60%). Moreover, water permeability significantly improves in the BPN specimens after crack repair, reaching 0 ml/cm−2·min, highlighting the efficacy of the developed self-healing system. Encapsulating the healing agent within cement shell effectively mitigates the reactivity between ORCs (CaO2) and water, thereby facilitating stable oxygen supply and safe delivery of microbial agents during crack healing. Furthermore, in-situ micromorphology and composition identification of crack repair materials affirm the presence of calcium carbonate precipitation to seal the concrete cracks. The encapsulation of healing material within cement shell stands out as an innovative approach, demonstrating an efficient self-healing process of concrete cracks. These findings might unveil new possibilities for bio-concrete to be used in sustainable and resilient construction practices, particularly in environments prone to cracking and water ingress.