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Researchers create BioPykrete, a 'super ice' that rivals concrete in strength

Researchers create BioPykrete, a 'super ice' that rivals concrete in strength

New Capabilities

Frozen water, plant cellulose and a two-part protein reach concrete-like strength in lab tests, with durability still untested

August 2nd, 2026: BioPykrete study published

Overview

Updated Oct 25

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have made a reinforced ice they call BioPykrete. In lab compression tests it carried about 10 times the load of ordinary ice, close to conventional concrete, and soaked up roughly 70 times more energy before it broke.

The recipe is frozen water, about 3 percent cellulose nanocrystals from plant cell walls, and a two-part protein that grips both the ice and the crystals. The paper ran in Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces on 2 August 2026. Everything published so far is lab work: repeated freezing and thawing, and slow sagging under a constant load, are untested.

Why it matters

If BioPykrete passes long-term durability tests, Arctic builders could freeze local water into roads and structures instead of shipping concrete and steel.

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Key Indicators

10x
Compressive strength vs pure ice
BioPykrete reaches strength levels close to conventional concrete.
70x
Energy absorbed before failure vs pure ice
The material bends and fails gradually instead of shattering.
2x
Strength gain from chimeric protein
Adding the protein doubled strength and energy-to-failure versus a cellulose-ice composite without it.
3%
Cellulose nanocrystal content by mass
The reinforcing plant-based crystals make up about 3 percent of the material.
0.15%
Protein glue content by mass
Braslavsky put the protein at roughly 0.1 to 0.15 percent of the mix, the only ingredient besides cellulose that has to be shipped to a cold site.

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People Involved

Ido Braslavsky
Ido Braslavsky
Professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Leads the BioPykrete research team

Organizations Involved

Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Research university
Conducting BioPykrete research

The research university that developed BioPykrete.

Timeline

1 event Latest: August 2nd, 2026 · 3 months ago

  1. BioPykrete study published

    Latest Research

    Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces carries the peer-reviewed paper, dated 2 August 2026, on ice reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals and a chimeric protein.

Scenarios

1

BioPykrete reaches Arctic field trials

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Ido Braslavsky and the Hebrew University team, reported by phys.org and ScienceAlert

Durability, freeze-thaw, and creep tests pass, and the team builds a small demonstration structure, such as a reinforced ice road or shelter, in the Arctic or Antarctic. The material would prove it can handle repeated freezing and thawing and constant pressure.

2

Durability limits keep BioPykrete in the lab

Possible Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: Researchers quoted in EurekAlert, who flag untested long-term performance

Long-term testing reveals that creep, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, or slow shape change under pressure make the material unsuitable for load-bearing construction. Research continues but no real-world deployment follows.

3

New proteins double BioPykrete's strength again

Possible Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: The Hebrew University team, which plans to test new proteins and freezing methods

Follow-up work with different chimeric proteins and directional freezing conditions pushes compressive strength or energy absorption well past the current figures, extending the proof of concept toward commercial materials.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1943

Project Habbakuk and Pykrete (1943)

British inventor Geoffrey Pyke proposed building aircraft carriers from reinforced ice, a mix of ice and wood pulp he called pykrete after himself. Engineers built a 1,000-ton prototype on Lake Patricia in Alberta, Canada, and the British war cabinet funded experiments.

Then

The prototype worked, but the project was cancelled as the war's needs shifted and costs ballooned.

Now

Pykrete became a famous curiosity, and reinforcing ice with fibers stayed a niche idea for decades.

Why this matters now

BioPykrete takes the same ice-plus-fiber concept and adds cellulose nanocrystals plus a protein glue that binds them to ice, addressing the brittleness that limited pykrete.

1969

Antifreeze proteins discovered (1969)

Biologist Arthur DeVries found antifreeze glycoproteins in Antarctic fish, the first molecules shown to bind ice crystals and stop them from growing.

Then

The discovery opened a new field of ice-binding protein research.

Now

Ice-binding proteins now appear in food science, cryopreservation, and bioinspired materials.

Why this matters now

The ice-binding half of BioPykrete's molecular glue, a fish antifreeze protein called AFPIII, comes from the same family DeVries discovered.

Sources

(16)
+10
Slashdot ScienceAlert Phys.org EurekAlert! Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces The Naked Scientists Nanowerk Interesting Engineering Ynet Yahoo News GIGAZINE Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces Israeli Research Community Portal (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) SciTechDaily heise online Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment