Tingyue Gu

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a widespread degradation challenge threatening metallic infrastructure in marine and industrial environments. Conventional materials‐based mitigation approaches act primarily as external barriers and do not directly control the coupled microbial, electrochemical, and microstructural processes that govern long‐term damage. Unlike previous reviews organized primarily by microbial taxa or protection technologies, this review establishes a mechanism‐oriented framework that maps distinct MIC pathways to guide the rational design of MIC‐resistant alloys. The fundamental MIC mechanisms, including metabolite‐induced corrosion, oxygen concentration cells, and extracellular electron transfer, are outlined to establish the basis for bespoke materials design. Three interrelated design strategies are proposed: (i) microbial‐level inhibition through antibacterial alloying; (ii) interfacial regulation through passive film engineering to regulate charge transfer; and (iii) microstructure‐integrated design, including nanoprecipitates, multiphase structures, and multicomponent alloys, to achieve synergistic antibacterial, mechanical and corrosion‐resistant performance. Finally, key challenges and future directions toward durable and adaptive MIC‐resistant materials are discussed, providing guidance for bridging mechanistic understanding and engineering applications.

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) remains a persistent global challenge, with traditional inhibition strategies often constrained by limited efficiency, poor durability, and ecological toxicity. Herein, we propose a rational design that utilizes a heteroatom as an electronic lever to circumvent these constraints. By integrating heteroatom Ag into an FePt matrix, the d‐band center of the Pt active sites is upshifted, optimizing the adsorption energy of substrates and ensuring superior catalytic performance even in H ₂ O ₂ ‐limited marine environments. The resulting FePtAg ( L ‐FPA) nanozymes exhibited enhanced triple‐enzyme activities (haloperoxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase, and peroxidase), triggering a localized burst of reactive chlorine and oxygen species. This synergistic action effectively disintegrated the extracellular polymeric substance barrier and induced metabolic disruption, achieving an exceptional 99.9% biofilm inhibition rate and 99.3% MIC inhibition efficiency against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Furthermore, the intermetallic structure promoted by heteroatom Ag provided outstanding durability of nanozymes, with their antibiofilm efficiency decreasing by only 3% for over 120 days. This work not only elucidates the intrinsic correlation between electronic modulation and inhibition efficiency in MIC inhibitors but also offers a rational framework for designing nanozymes tailored to challenging and hostile environments.

The sustainable recycling of spent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries via bioleaching is critically important yet often constrained by low processing capacity and severe microbial oxidative stress. Herein, we report a highly efficient biocatalytic strategy utilizing Gluconobacter oxydans as a whole-cell biocatalyst for the leaching of spent LFP batteries. We demonstrate that the addition of 25 mM ascorbic acid (AA) dramatically enhances the catalytic performance of this microbial system, achieving a high lithium extraction yield of 92.7% within 7 days at a pulp density of 10.0 g L–1. Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses elucidate a novel synergistic catalytic mechanism: AA not only alleviates intracellular oxidative stress to sustain microbial catalyst but also actively participates in a pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-mediated extracellular redox cycle. In this cycle, the reduction of PQQ by AA and its subsequent reoxidation by O2 generate H2O2. Under mild acidic conditions (pH ∼4), these H2O2 preferentially drive the catalytic oxidation of LiFePO4 to FePO4, thereby significantly facilitating Li release. The dissolved Li was further recovered from bioleachate as Li3PO4, while the FePO4-rich residues showed effective dye–removal activity, demonstrating residue valorization potential. This work unveils the dual function of AA in fortifying the microbial catalyst and driving mineral oxidation, presenting a practical and economically viable strategy for the integrated recycling of spent LFP batteries.

Marine corrosion and biofouling represent critical challenges urgently requiring solutions in marine industrial equipment. The application of protective coatings currently stands as the most economical and effective strategy for mitigation. However, the core challenge lies in reconciling antifouling, anticorrosion, and abrasion resistance within a single‐layer coating. Inspired by the gradient structure of octopus skin, we propose a novel gradient heterogeneous network architecture that enables the integration of antifouling, anticorrosion, and abrasion resistance within a single‐layer coating. Owing to the differential reactivity of isocyanate groups and the gradual deblocking of aldimine, dicyclohexylmethane‐4,4′‐diisocyanate (HMDI) preferentially reacts with the deblocked triamine to form a highly cross‐linked polyurea network. Subsequently, the isocyanate‐terminated amphiphilic polyurea prepolymer (NAP) spontaneously migrates surfaceward, driven by its low surface energy, and concurrently undergoes cross‐linking to establish a gradient heterogeneous network architecture. Surface‐enriched NAP builds a hydration layer against biofouling, while the highly cross‐linked polyurea in bulk ensures strong adhesion (>4 MPa) and forms a dense barrier against corrosion through dense hydrogen bonding. The synergy between polyurea toughness and fluoro‑silicon lubrication further confers excellent abrasion resistance (coefficient of friction <0.15). This network design concept may open a new avenue for the development of high‐performance materials in marine engineering.

The sustainability of lithium-ion battery recycling faces challenges due to the heavy reliance on corrosive acids in hydrometallurgy and traditional bioleaching. Here, a neutral-pH bio-metallurgical process using gut microbiota is reported for leaching spent Li(Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3)O2 cathodes. Under facultative anaerobic conditions, the microbial community adapts to enrich metal-tolerant and electroactive groups (e.g., Actinobacteriota, Desulfobacterota_I), allowing metal release through direct contact and extracellular electron transfer. Riboflavin, a known electron shuttle, improves yields to 99.3% for Li and 93.3% for Ni when supplemented. Significantly, the process leads to different fates for metal ions: Li and Ni remain soluble, while Co and Mn are reduced to form NH4(Co,Mn)PO4·H2O precipitates. This in situ phase separation simplifies downstream purification. The phosphate residues show excellent electrochemical performance, with a capacitance of 168 mF·cm−2 as supercapacitor electrodes. This method presents a green, robust, and adaptable approach for critical metal recycling.