Durability of biofilm-enriched hybrid mortar towards chemical and physical challenges

To increase the service life of cementitious structures, it is important to protect them against penetrating moisture and molecules/ions transported by water ingress. For mortar, such a protection can be achieved by adding bacterial biofilm powder. However, the hydrophobizing effect needs to persist over time – even when the material is exposed to harsh conditions. Here, we show that the hydrophobic properties brought about by the addition of bacterial biofilm powder to mortar are maintained even when the material is challenged with difficult thermal or chemical conditions.