Cement as a living system: Toward regenerative and energy-storing building materials
Time: kl. 10.00-11.30
Location: Europaplads 8, 8000 Aarhus C or online.
Join this presentation by Qi Luo, postdoc, at Aarhus University CAE as he presents his research that represents more than a proof of concept - it marks the beginning of a new paradigm for cement-based materials!
For millennia, cement has been regarded as an inert material. Here, we challenge this long-standing perception by transforming cement into a regenerative, “living” energy system, pioneering a new class of microbial cement supercapacitors. By embedding electroactive microorganisms within cementitious matrices, we establish a biohybrid material capable of storing and releasing electrical energy by harnessing microbial redox activity and extracellular electron transfer. This transformation redefines cement from a passive emitter of CO₂ into an active participant in regenerative infrastructure, capable of both structural support and functional energy contribution. Remarkably, the embedded microbes can be reactivated through nutrient infusion using an integrated microfluidic network, enabling cyclic regeneration and sustained charge transfer after dormancy. This adaptive responsiveness, rarely observed in traditional building materials, introduces a new temporal dimension to cement and allows it to recover and renew its electrochemical functionality over time.
By infusing biological intelligence and regenerative capability into the very matrix of cement, we envision the next generation of construction materials that are alive, adaptive, and regenerative by design. In this vision, cement evolves beyond its historic role as a carbon-intensive binder to become a platform for regeneration—a foundation for future infrastructures that not only support human life but also restore ecological balance and close the loop of material life cycles.
Join us for this very inspiring presentation of groundbreaking research. A dialogue and Q&A-session will follow the presentation.
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