A faculty member of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) at Surathkal has received an Indian Patent for a cement mortar brick that includes bacteria in its combination, which is said to be superior to conventional bricks in terms of strength and life of the structure, and possesses a ‘self-healing’ property.

The research paper by Dr T Palanisamy, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, NITK, is titled ‘Microbialcreat Composite’. The patent was applied for in 2014 and received in June this year. According to Dr Palanisamy, microbialcreat composite is a new-age material that heals itself upon cracking. This happens through the precipitation of lime (calcium carbonate) by non-pathogenic bacteria used in the composite. A faculty research group is working on wider applications of the technology.

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