This Extra Strong Cement was Inspired by the Spines of Sea Urchins

This super strong cement was created using principles learned from aquatic creatures like the sea urchin. Developed by physical chemists from the University of Stuttgart and the University of Konstanz, the new building material is significantly more resistant to fractures and much stronger than existing variations.



The extremely strong concrete is more than a hundred times more fracture-resistant than common concrete. Inspired by brittle sea urchin spines that feature soft disordered layers, the Germany-based team came up with a process "encoding fracture-resistance at the nano-level."



This scientific project led by Professor Helmut Colfen demonstrates the sort of opportunities emerging for the construction industry. Other examples of new types of building materials include concrete reinforced with tires and earthquake-resistant cementitious composite.