SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will test the efficacy of high-volume scaled microorganisms with the ability to induce cementation for masonry applications using methods proven at laboratory scale. Sporosarcina Pasteurii, a common non-pathogenic soil bacterium, has the ability to induce the creation of a biocement material, fusing loose grains of aggregate. Mineral growth fills gaps between the aggregate grains, biocementing the particles together in a structural bond, a process that takes a few days or less. The resulting material has a composition and demonstrates physical properties similar to natural sandstone. Traditional masonry manufacturing is reliant upon expensive fuel sources for hardening the final product, and these represent a large percentage of total manufacturing costs. Biocementation at ambient conditions as a method for binding material into masonry units allows a cost advantage by eliminating the need for firing the final product. The objectives of this effort include an extension of the baseline fermentation process for microorganism scale-up, testing of the efficacy of cell recovery, and efficiacy testing of the full-scale masonry product. This research will also focus on testing the process efficacy with inexpensive industrial media in conjunction with high-volume fermentation and recovery practices. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the demonstration of the commercial viability of an optimized production process for masonry units (bricks) based on biocementation. Over 80% of global construction uses masonry. Masonry manufacturing is a $24 billion business in the US. According to the Carbon War Room, 1.23 trillion fired bricks are manufactured globally each year, emitting over 800 million tons of carbon emissions. Due to increased regulations introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several masonry companies have had to either shut down or invest significant sums in cleaner production methods due to these associated emissions. Government incentives for green construction, compounded with increasing sustainability concerns - for example, end users such as architects, are specifying the use of more sustainable materials - have created an opportunity for the adoption of "greener" cementitious materials. The societal impacts of this research will include a significant reduction of carbon emissions and the addition of manufacturing jobs in the US. Biocementation has also been investigated for use in soil stabilization and mine recovery. This project will enhance the technological understanding of this process, will help to establish commercial viability, and will generate additional practical data including durability and physical performance.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is focused on the continued development of biologically grown masonry units as a commercially-viable and sustainable alternative to traditional fired masonry materials. This product is grown in ambient temperatures utilizing a natural calcium carbonate cement formation induced by a urease-producing microorganism. The Phase II project will focus on material testing and further optimization and cost reduction of biocement products, with the intention of demonstrating pilot manufacturing and rapid commercialization via licensee manufacturers. Using biologic products and fermentation procedures developed in the Phase I effort, improvements will be made to scale up manufacturing and reduce cost in the manufacturing process. The commercial potential of this technology is critically dependent on achieving cost and performance parity, if not superiority, with traditional materials. Each year, 1.23 trillion fired bricks are produced globally for use in construction, resulting in over 800 million tons of carbon emissions. The societal impacts of this research would include a dramatic reduction in these emissions, as well as a corresponding reduction in industrial by-product waste. This project will enhance the technological understanding for commercial viability and test data including durability and physical performance.Technical objectives for this effort include evaluation of the resulting biocement masonry products through rigorous American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) testing methods, reduction of raw material costs through continued optimization, creation of in-house production capability for the requisite biologic product, and the creation and testing of a manufacturing process suitable for transition to licensees. Main focus areas of the Phase II project include rigorous material testing for physical performance, weathering and durability, in-house production of robust raw material constituents, and commercial testing coupled with pilot manufacturing. Rigorous ASTM testing methods will be done at two accredited labs, and labor requirements will be reduced via the adoption of lean automation in the production process. Additionally, the utilization of existing material handing manufacturing equipment at licensee facilities, where possible, will be evaluated. Expected project results will include a comprehensive statistical analysis of multiple physical samples, as well as a corresponding failure analysis. Additional expected deliverables include the successful commission of in-house pilot scale manufacturing for biocement constituents as a simplified additive to be used by commercial partners and licensees.