Yunnan University team makes national innovation competition final

Rebirth from Ruins, a team from Yunnan University, won first place in the undergraduate creativity group in the Yunnan Division of the 2024 China International University Student Innovation Competition with their project, "Microbial Technology Leading a New Era in Self-Healing Concrete". This win means they now advance to the national finals.

Team members pose for a group photo at the Yunnan division competition site. [Photo/WeChat account of Yunnan University]

Concrete is an indispensable fundamental material in the construction sector. However, due to its inherent defects, traditional concrete is prone to cracks during maintenance and application. This affects its use and shortens its service life, leading to high repair costs. Faced with these challenges, the team has been committed to developing microbial self-healing concrete.

Since 2020, under the guidance of professors and experts, the team has conducted 1,248 rounds of research and 982 experiments, resulting in over 1,100 sets of data and experimenting with more than 30 different technologies.

The team has applied for six patents, published six papers in core journals, and independently developed and mastered four key technologies.

Their product has passed national authoritative institutions' technology novelty assessments and quality inspections. The inspection results show that the product's technical level fully meets national standards, putting it at the market forefront.

The team has already established collaborations with several well-known domestic and international companies to promote the industrialization of microbial self-healing concrete technology.

All of the team pose for a group photo. [Photo/WeChat account of Yunnan University]