
Powerbetter Environmental Processes
Powerbetter Environmental Processes
1 Projects, page 1 of 1
assignment_turned_in Project2017 - 2022Partners:University of California, Berkeley, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Newcastle University, Cornell University, Powerbetter Environmental Processes +14 partnersUniversity of California, Berkeley,Norwegian University of Science and Technology,Newcastle University,Cornell University,Powerbetter Environmental Processes,Newcastle University,University of California, Berkeley,TU Delft,Arup Group (United Kingdom),NTNU Norwegian Uni of Science & Tech,University of Waterloo (Canada),NTNU Nor Uni of Sci & Tech (Remove),Arup Group,Cornell University,Arup Group Ltd,University of Waterloo,Powerbetter Environmental Processes,University of California, Berkeley,Cornell UniversityFunder: UK Research and Innovation Project Code: EP/R003629/1Funder Contribution: 598,309 GBPThe proposal anticipates a new era of fabrication driven by Synthetic Biology and our ability to manipulate living organisms to make new materials and structures. We are also going beyond the usual application domains of Synthetic Biology by applying it to Civil Engineering, expanding design methods and opening up a new area of Engineering Design. To achieve this we will develop a living material which can respond to physical forces in its environment through the synthesis of strengthening materials. This concept is partly biomimetic inspired by for example the way in which our bones strengthen, becoming more dense under repeated load. However, we are also proposing to buid this system using living bacteria cells which have no such functional requirement in nature. Imagine a hydrogel (jelly) containing billions of engineered bacteria. A weight is placed on top of the jelly and, as it is loaded the bacteria in the material sense the mechanical changes in their environment and begin to induce mineral crystals to form. As they make this material the jelly stiffens and strengthens to resist the load. By the end of this project we will be able to demonstrate this principle creating an entirely novel living material. We are working with project partners from across industry and academia to develop this proof of concept and to investigate the broad applications of such a technology to, for example, create self constructing building foundations and make large scale structures where it is very difficult to build using traditional buildings and materials.
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