Self-Healing Cement: A Review

Abstract

The self-healing of cementitious materials can be achieved by precipitation of calcium carbonate through the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea. When a crack appears in cement, the damage can be repaired by allowing bacteria to encounter the water seeping through the crack. This forms a calcium carbonate, which heals the cracks. This occurs because microorganisms begin metabolizing and precipitating the mineral, healing the damage caused by the crack. Then, bacteria are incorporated into various containers, which release microorganisms by crushing, leading to the precipitation of calcium carbonate. In addition, this paper references the superabsorbent polymers (SAP) used for self-healing and hybrid organic-inorganic core–shell SAPs, a recently developed, state-of-the-art self-healing technology for cementitious materials.