Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.4
3.2
Journals
Materials
Special Issues
The Interactions of Microorganisms and Materials: Biocorrosion and Bioleaching
materials-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

The Interactions of Microorganisms and Materials: Biocorrosion and Bioleaching

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Corrosion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 3414

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ruiyong Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
Interests: microbiologically influenced corrosion; marine corrosion; biofilms; bioleaching; materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Arevik Vardanyan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS of Armenia, Yerevan 0056, Armenia
Interests: bioleaching; chemolithotrophic bacteria; wastewater treatment; biosorption; recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yimeng Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
Interests: marine corrosion; sulfate-reducing bacteria; microbiologically influenced corrosion; corrosive microbial communities
Dr. Anna Khachatryan

E-Mail
Guest Editor Assistant
SPC “Armbiotechnology” NAS of Armenia, Yerevan 0056, Armenia
Interests: bioleaching; acidophilic bacteria; heavy metal resistance; bioremediation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microorganisms are crucial for the degradation and transformation of materials, with significant implications for industrial infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and resource recovery. This Special Issue focuses on the dynamic interactions between microorganisms and materials, particularly in the contexts of biocorrosion (microbiologically influenced corrosion, MIC) and bioleaching (microbe-assisted metal extraction). Biocorrosion poses critical challenges to marine, energy, and medical systems, accelerating material deterioration through microbial metabolic activities. Conversely, bioleaching offers an eco-friendly approach for metal recovery from ores and electronic waste, utilizing microbial processes to replace traditional, energy-intensive methods.

This Special Issue welcomes research articles and reviews that address microbial mechanisms, material responses, monitoring techniques, and mitigation strategies in biocorrosion and advances in bioleaching for sustainable metallurgy. We particularly seek interdisciplinary studies that integrate microbiology, materials science, and engineering. We aim to translate fundamental research findings into practical applications, fostering innovation in microbial–material interactions for both industrial protection and resource utilization.

Prof. Dr. Ruiyong Zhang
Dr. Arevik Vardanyan
Dr. Yimeng Zhang
Guest Editors

Dr. Anna Khachatryan
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)
  • bioleaching
  • material degradation
  • metal recovery
  • sustainable bioprocessing
  • metal corrosion

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

33 pages, 2760 KB  
Article
Solidification Performance and Mechanism of TSC Composite Soil Based on Microbially Induced Mineralization
by Haowei Ding, Qiwei Zhan, Haitao Hu and Yiming Xiong
Materials 2026, 19(9), 1775; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19091775 - 27 Apr 2026
Viewed by 125
Abstract
To enhance the engineering performance of fine-grained composite soils with unbalanced particle gradation, high plasticity, and poor water stability, a synergistic stabilization strategy combining particle structure regulation and microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) was proposed. The particle size distribution and fundamental engineering [...] Read more.
To enhance the engineering performance of fine-grained composite soils with unbalanced particle gradation, high plasticity, and poor water stability, a synergistic stabilization strategy combining particle structure regulation and microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) was proposed. The particle size distribution and fundamental engineering properties of a titanium gypsum–clay (TSC) composite soil were first optimized through systematic single-factor blending tests. The results indicate that a TS:C ratio of 60:40 significantly improved gradation characteristics, reduced plasticity, and enhanced both compaction behavior and load-bearing capacity. Based on the optimized gradation framework, MICP treatment was subsequently introduced to further enhance water stability. The effects of key parameters, particularly the type of calcium source, on the evolution of water stability were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to elucidate the underlying reinforcement mechanisms. The results demonstrate that the water stability coefficient increased markedly from 0.35 to 0.83 following MICP treatment, while strength degradation under water immersion was effectively mitigated. Microscopic observations reveal that microbially precipitated calcite fills pore spaces and forms a continuous cementation network via particle bridging and interfacial bonding, leading to an approximately 32% reduction in porosity. Overall, the proposed synergistic strategy offers an effective and sustainable approach for improving the water stability and structural integrity of complex fine-grained composite soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interactions of Microorganisms and Materials: Biocorrosion and Bioleaching)
16 pages, 2793 KB  
Article
Bacterial Tolerance and Bioleaching in the Presence of Chloride
by Narine Vardanyan, Anna Khachatryan, Zaruhi Melkonyan, Nelli Abrahamyan, Sona Barseghyan, Ruiyong Zhang and Arevik Vardanyan
Materials 2025, 18(18), 4407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18184407 - 21 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1738
Abstract
Chloride ions can enhance the bioleaching of copper minerals, yet most biomining microorganisms are highly sensitive to chloride and cannot survive or colonize mineral surfaces in saline environments. Chloride tolerance varies among acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria, but the concentrations at which they remain active [...] Read more.
Chloride ions can enhance the bioleaching of copper minerals, yet most biomining microorganisms are highly sensitive to chloride and cannot survive or colonize mineral surfaces in saline environments. Chloride tolerance varies among acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria, but the concentrations at which they remain active are generally too low to permit the industrial use of seawater. Therefore, identifying highly chloride-tolerant leaching microorganisms and studying their bioleaching potential in chloride-containing systems is of utmost importance. This study investigated chloride tolerance and adaptability of bacteria from different genera, with a focus on Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans subsp. asporogenes 41, a moderately thermophilic strain that can oxidize both Fe (II) and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs). This dual activity makes it advantageous for bioleaching by facilitating sulfur removal, generating acidity, and preventing mineral passivation. Comparative experiments on the bioleaching of pyrite and chalcopyrite demonstrated that adaptation to 0.3 M NaCl enhanced the chloride tolerance of S. thermosulfidooxidans subsp. asporogenes 41. The adapted strain exhibited significantly improved copper extraction under saline conditions compared with the native culture. Maximum copper recovery was achieved at 0.4 M NaCl, highlighting the potential of chloride-adapted moderate thermophiles for biomining applications in saline environments. In contrast the minimal inhibitory concentration for Acidithiobacillud ferrooxidans Dr was 0.005 M (causing 41.2% inhibition), while Leptospirillum ferriphilum CC was unaffected by lower concentrations (0.01–0.02 M) and only showed severe inhibition (86.5%) at 0.1 M NaCl, defining its minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 0.05 M. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interactions of Microorganisms and Materials: Biocorrosion and Bioleaching)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop