Mechanical and self-healing properties of cement paste containing incinerated sugarcane filter cake and Lysinibacillus sp. WH bacteria

Abstract

Cement is the most widely used construction material due to its strength and affordability, but its production is energy intensive. Thus, the need to replace cement with widely available waste material such as incinerated black filter cake (IBFC) in order to reduce energy consumption and the associated CO2 emissions. However, because IBFC is a newly discovered cement replacement material, several parameters affecting the mechanical properties of IBFC-cement composite have not been thoroughly investigated yet. Thus, this work aims to investigate the impact of IBFC as a cement replacement and the addition of the calcifying bacterium Lysinibacillus sp. WH on the mechanical and self-healing properties of IBFC cement pastes. The properties of the IBFC-cement pastes were assessed by determining compressive strength, permeable void, water absorption, cement hydration product, and self-healing property. Increases in IBFC replacement reduced the durability of the cement pastes. The addition of the strain WH to IBFC cement pastes, resulting in biocement, increased the strength of the IBFC-cement composite. A 20% IBFC cement-replacement was determined to be the ideal ratio for producing biocement in this study, with a lower void percentage and water absorption value. Adding strain WH decreases pore sizes, densifies the matrix in ≤ 20% IBFC biocement, and enhances the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) and AFm ettringite phases. Biogenic CaCO3 and C–S–H significantly increase IBFC composite strength, especially at ≤ 20% IBFC replacement. Moreover, IBFC-cement composites with strain WH exhibit self-healing properties, with bacteria precipitating CaCO3 crystals to bridge cracks within two weeks. Overall, this work provides an approach to produce a "green/sustainable" cement using biologically enabled self-healing characteristics.