Dr. Karen Butina Ogorelec, InnoRenew CoE researcher, successfully applied to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) call, with the project Microbially Induced Mineralisation of Wood for Improved Fire Resistance (MICRO-INSERT). Over the 2-year project, Dr. Karen Butina Ogorelec, under supervision of Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE’s Deputy director and head of Materials department, will be exploring the use of microorganisms to deposit calcium carbonate within wood, aiming to improve its fire resistance.

Wood is a renewable material that acts as a carbon sink, it is also strong and aesthetically pleasing. However, its combustibility remains an important drawback. Even if wood has been historically widely used as a building material, it has often been replaced by mineral-based construction materials, such as cement, metal, and glass. These materials perform better in case of fire, but are derived from finite resources, and therefore propose a less sustainable solution.

As Europe aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050, timber is increasingly seen as a crucial material in transforming the building sector and advancing its sustainability. However, to promote its use in construction, fire risks must be addressed. Currently used fire and flame retardants often contain toxic or environmentally unfriendly components, highlighting the need for innovative and alternative solutions. A promising solution is the deposition of calcium carbonate, which is the main component of limestone, into wood. While this method is a potential solution, achieving deep deposition inside the wood tissue is challenging and often involve high energy consumption and toxic chemicals. In nature, microorganisms play a significant role in calcium carbonate formation through various mechanisms. Microorganisms have been successfully employed to create self-healing concrete, however no such application has yet been proposed for the treatment of wood.

Within the MICRO-INSERT project, researchers will aim to employ microorganisms to deposit calcium carbonate within wood tissue, creating hybrid organic-inorganic materials with improved fire resistance. This will advance the use of wood in construction, and further promote InnoRenew’s commitment to developing and promoting sustainable solutions for construction sector.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are funding doctoral and postdoctoral programmes and collaborative research and innovation projects with various calls. In 2024 they aim to be supporting around 10,000 researchers across Europe.

If you are curious about the topic or have ideas, suggestions or criticism please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Karen Butina Ogorelec at karen.butina@innorenew.eu.