The Potential use of Bio-mineralization Technique in Developing Eco-Sustainable Self-Healing Geopolymer Binder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The enormous demand for concrete as a construction material over the globe has proliferated the production of cement. It has been reported that the production of one ton of cement produces approximately one ton of carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere. In geopolymer system, the use of cement is eliminated by using aluminosilicate rich industrial and agricultural waste as source material, which is activated by an alkaline medium. Biomineralization in concrete by using microorganisms is a technique used to enhance the mechanical and durability performance of concrete by imparting self-healing of cracks generated in the system. This paper reviews the feasibility of microbial inclusion in geopolymers. In this review, the mechanical and durability characteristics of microbial geopolymer binders along with the observations of microstructural characterization are elucidated. The mechanical properties in terms of compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength are studied systematically from the existing literature. The durability studies of bio-mineralized geopolymer binder (BMGP) in terms of water absorption, sorptivity, acid attack resistance, sulphate attack resistance and resistance towards freeze thaw effect are analysed in the study. Also, the possible applications of biomineralized microbial geopolymer concrete are critically reviewed in this paper